Interventional Pulmonology

What is Interventional Pulmonology?

Interventional pulmonology is a relatively new and advanced speciality in pulmonary medicine. Interventional pulmonology uses minimally invasive endoscopic procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the airways, lungs, and pleura. Procedures for interventional pulmonology include Flexible bronchoscopy, Bronchoscopic biopsies, Cryosurgery/Cryobiopsy, Airway stent (bronchial stent), Rigid bronchoscopy, Thoracoscopy, Bronchial thermoplasty, Endobronchial ultrasound system (EBUS).

Interventional Pulmonology allows the pulmonologist to diagnose various lung diseases at an early stage and with higher accuracy. Early diagnosis helps in the early and better treatment of the disease. The emergence of Intervention has been very important in the diagnosis of lung cancer and its treatment. Interventional pulmonology procedures offer the potential advantage of avoiding more invasive surgery.

For example, before interventional pulmonology, a biopsy of lymph nodes in the chest required chest wall surgery which has many risks. Now biopsy of lymph nodes in the chest with an EBUS machine is an outpatient procedure, letting the patient go back home on the very same day.