Interventional Pulmonology

Complex Airway Procedures

Numerous bronchoscopic technologies are used to treat benign and malignant airway obstruction in a minimally invasive manner. These procedures can be performed with flexible or rigid bronchoscopy. There are very few providers across the country that have been formally trained and certified to perform these highly specialized rigid bronchoscopies. Many cases, including complex rigid bronchscopy procedures, can be done on an outpatient basis.

• Rigid bronchoscopy
• Airway stent placement (metallic, silicone and hybrid)
• Spray cryotherapy
• Nd: YAG laser therapy
• Argon plasma coagulation and electrocautery
• Microdebrider
• Montogomery T-Tube placement
• Balloon bronchoplasty
• Stent removal
• Foreign body removal

Pleural Procedures

Pleuroscopy or medical thoracoscopy performed under conscious sedation is an excellent alternative to surgical thoracosopy for pleural biopsy in unexplained pleural effusions or for treatment of recurrent malignant effusions. The PleurX catheter program is a proven system of long-term indwelling pleural catheters for outpatient management of recurrent effusions. Patients are followed closely and can sometimes undergo additional chemical pleurodesis through the catheter.

• Medical thoracoscopy
• Talc pleurodesis
• PleurX indwelling catheter placement
• Tube thoracostomy

Advanced Diagnostic Bronchoscopy

CRH is the first and only center in Indiana that offers Cone Beam CT guided electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy. Having real time 3D CT guidance allows even the smallest of lung nodules to be reached from within the lung in a very precise manner. These procedures are highly effective in diagnosing tumors at early stages and are performed in a least invasive fashion.

• CT guided electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy
• Endobronchial ultrasound biopsy of lung and lymph nodes
• Transbronchial biopsy

Bronchial Lung Volume Reduction Surgery

CRH is the first and only center in Indiana to offer this minimally invasive treatment to certain patients with emphysema, which will improve lung capacity, exercise capacity, and quality of life in patients with severe disease.

Zephyr Endobronchial Valve treatment

Columbus Regional Hospital's Lung Institute is the first in Indiana to offer a new lung valve treatment for patients with severe COPD/emphysema. Approved by the FDA under their "Breakthrough Devices" status, the Zephyr Endobronchial Valve treatment represents a major advancement because it is the first minimally invasive procedure to help emphysema sufferers breathe easier without major surgery.

The benefits of Zephyr Valves

Patients report being able to take full breaths immediately after the procedure and within a few days are back to doing everyday tasks with ease. In clinical studies patients treated with Zephyr Valves have been shown to:

• Breathe easier
• Be more active and energetic
• Be less short of breath
• Enjoy a significantly improved quality of life compared to untreated patients

Bronchial Thermoplasty

For patients with severe asthma not controlled on medical treatment, we offer Bronchial Thermoplasty. Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) is a procedure to reduce the smooth muscle mass of the airway. With less smooth muscle, the airways constrict less, reducing severe asthma attacks.

Other Procedures

• Percutaneous tracheostomy
• Whole lung lavage for alveolar proteinosis
• Placement of fiducial markers in chest tumors
• Endobronchial valve placement for alveolar pleural fistula