Department of Respiratory Medicine caters to the need of people having problems related to lungs,airways,pleura,mediastinum,diaphragm and chest wall.The specialty also covers those diseases that indirectly affect breathing like sleep apnoea and neuromuscular disorders.

The problems related to respiratory system are on the rise because of increasing air pollution,harmful effects of smoking and growing urbanization due to population pressure.Those who have symptomslike cough,phlegm,difficulty in breathing,chest congestion,blood in phlegm,disturbed sleep pattern due to snoring can approach the pulmonologist or respiratory specialist.Spectrum of diseases for which respiratory physician services are required are:

• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Bronchiectasis
• Emphysema
• COPD
• Respiratory allergies
• Tuberculosis
• Pneumonia
• Lung fibrosis
• Pleural effuson
• Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy
• Lung cancer
• Sleep apnoea
• Respiratory failure

Department of Respiratory medicine provides consultative services in form of daily OPDs,as in-patients admitted in ICUs and wards and as interdisciplinary referrals.Department is well equipped with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic facilities needed for investigation and management of wide range of respiratory ailments.

Pulmonary function tests help in assessment of functional status of lungs and give information about the likely cause of breathlessness.It measures how well a person can inhale or exhale air and how well the oxygen moves through lungs from atmosphere to body's circulation.

Our lab is well equipped with spirometry with diffusion and lung volume studies and these tests are performed by a trained technician in PFT lab.

• Diagnose lung diseases such as asthma,COPD and ILD
• Measure the progress of the disease and assess response to treatment
• Assessment of lung function before surgery to predict the post operativecomplications
• Measure the effect of occupational exposure(chemicals and gases) on
lung functions

We have dedicated suit for endoscopy procedures.Our department is well equipped with bronchoscopes,semirigidthoracoscope and endobronchial ultrasound to look into and manage the problems related to airways,lung and pleura.

Bronchoscopy is a technique of examining the inside of airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purpose.The bronchoscope is inserted through nose or mouth after application of sprays and jelly in throat and nose.This isnon surgical,minimally invasive procedure done mostly on out patient basis.The procedure requires mostly topical anaesthesia or light sedation.This procedure allows doctor to identify abnormalities like foreign bodies,tumors,bleeding or inflammation of the airways.In the ICUs the procedure is done through endotracheal tube or tracheostomy and mainly required to remove secretions and clear airways.Bronchoalveolarlavage(BAL),Biopsy of lung,FNAC from mediastinallymphnodesare the sampling methods performed depending upon the indications.

Our bronchoscopy suite is equipped with all range of flexible and videobronchoscopes of both adult and pediatric size.

Semirgidendoscope meant for examination of pleura (space between outer and inner covering of the lungs) is thoracoscope.The procedure is also called pleuroscopy and is done in bronchoscopy suit under conscious sedation.

• Foremost role of this procedure lies in identifying the cause of undiagnosed pleural effusion
• Loculated pleural collections which are difficult to drain can be easily cleared under vision and help the entrapped lung to expand.
• This procedure is also used to seal the pleural space when there isrepeated accumulation of either air or fluid in the inthe pleural space causing difficulty in breathing.The procedure is called pleurodesis.

The flexible bronchoscope equipped with an ultrasound probe at its tip is EBUS. This is the latest diagnostic tool in evaluating the masses and nodes out side the airways in the lung or mediastinum.The mediastinum is space between the lungs which was approachable only through surgery in the past.Advent of EBUS has made a paradigm shift in this filed. Being noninvasive , it helps avoid disabling diagnostic surgery and also cut shorts the expenditure and hospital stay. EBUS is performed either in topical anaesthesia,conscious sedation or short GA with laryngeal mask airway(LMA).Two modalities of EBUS are in place:

• Linear EBUS for mediastinal lesions
• Radial EBUS for peripheral lung masses.

• MediastinalLymphnodes:To differentiate tuberculosis,sarcoidosis or lymphoma
• Staging of lung cancer
• Diagnosis of primary lung tumors
• Mediastinal cyst
• To aid in certain therapeutic procedures

Polysomnography or sleep study is a test used to diagnose sleep disorders. Polysomnography records your brain waves,the oxygen level of your blood,heart rate and breathing as well as eye and leg movements during the study.The whole procedure has two parts

• Diagnostic study
• Titration study and both are usually done in the same night as 'split nightstudy'.

• Sleep apnoeaor other sleep related breathing disorder.In this conditionthere is habitual snoring,abnormal breathing pattern characterised byfrequent pauses in airflow during sleep and daytime sleepiness.
• Periodic leg movement disorder.In this disorder there is involuntarymovement flexion and extension) of legs while sleeping.This is also calledrestless leg syndrome.
• Narcolepsy.Overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks ofsleep are features of this condition.
• REM sleep behaviour disorder.This disorder involves acting out dreams asyou sleep.
• Unusual behaviour during sleep.Your doctor may perform this test if youdo unusual activities during sleep such as walking,moving around a lot orrhtmic movements
• Unexplained chronic insomnia.In case you consistently have trouble fallingasleep or staying asleep your doctor may recommend polysomnography.

We have fully functional advanced sleep lab in our department to diagnose the above conditions.