Clinical Services

CLINICAL SERVICES:
Inpatient Services

Patients who require in-patient care are admitted in Rooms / wards and managed.

The wards are well ventilated. They have Central Oxygen Supply and Central Vacuum Suction facilities and Jet Nebulisers. Critically ill patients are managed in the Multi Specialty Intensive Care Unit of the Medical centre.

Outpatient Services

The Respiratory medicine department is located in the second floor A-Block (A2) of the Sri Ramasamy Udayar block. The Out Patient Department (OPD) works six days a week. Senior consultants are available for consultation and management of respiratory diseases from 8.00am – 4.00pm.  Patients are referred from both out stations and other departments of the Medical Centre for expert opinion and management.

Facilities Available In the Department

I. Pulmonary Function Testing Laboratory (PFT)

PFT are non invasive tests to evaluate the function of the lungs. The tests include measuring lung volume, capacity, rates of flow, gas exchange. These tests help in diagnosis and monitoring 

of patient with certain lung disorder. PFT is done for both inpatient and outpatients at the PFT laboratory which is situated in the 2nd floor (A2) of the Medical Centre.  This laboratory is equipped with latest machines for doing spirometry and DLCO test.  The lab is manned by well trained PFT technologists. Bed side PFT is also performed where ever needed.

II. Flexible Fibre Optic Bronchoscopy (FOB) Service 

Flexible Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy is done for both outpatients and inpatients in the Bronchoscopy suite (F1-First Floor) as both diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.   This is fully equipped with Olympus Non-Video and Video Bronchoscopes. Pulmonologist trained in Fibreoptic Bronchoscopy  do the procedure and they with brush and punch biopsies and foreign body removals. Doctor is assisted by trained Staff Nurses and Respiratory Technologists  during the procedure.

Bedside Bronchoscopy is done in the Intensive care units whenever indicated.

III. ENDOBRONCHIAL ULTRASOUND BRONCHOSCOPY (EBUS) – is done in F1 Bronchoscopy suite. This is a procedure that combines a Flexible bronchoscope with Ultrasound to visualize airway wall and lymph nodes in the chest and allows the Pulmonologist to do aspiration and take biopsy without making an incision. It is minimally invasive but highly effective procedure that is used commonly to diagnose lung cancer  (stage the lung cancer for management ) infections and other diseases causing abnormal enlarged lymphnode in the chest. Rose (Rapid Onset insite evaluation) of the aspirated material will be performed by the pathologist and diagnosis will be available in 5 minutes.

IV. THORACOSCOPY / PLEUROSCOPY – done in F1 first floor

Procedure done by trained Pulmonologist to visualize the pleural cavity and biopsy the pleura  in certain undiagnosed pleural effusion. Usually done under conscious sedation. 

V. Sleep Laboratory- Polysomnography (Sleep Study)

Sleep study suite in the B7 WARD. Fully equipped with latest state of art equipments to diagnose sleep related disorders, snoring. BiPAP and CPAP titrations are also done by trained technicians,

VI. SIX-MINUTE WALK TEST

It is a standardized test used to measure patients cardiopulmonary functional capacity. This is one of The test assesses the lung capacity before thoracic surgeries (Lung transplant, lung resection surgery, lung volume reduction surgery) for pulmonary Rehabilitation,  COPD, PPH, Heart Failure etc.

VII.PATIENT EDUCATION (AWARNESS PROGRAMME)

This center aims at improving quality of life in COPD/Bronchial Asthma patients. These patients are taught proper technique of using inhalers and breathing exercises by well trained Respiratory Technologists. Patients are educated about the hazards of smoking and tobacco use and smoking cessation awareness created among patients. 

The department periodically conducts patient education on following days. 

• World TB day - 24^th March 

• World Sleep Disorder Day - 24^th March 

• World Asthma Day - 1^st Tuesday in the month of May

• World No Tobacco Day - 31^st May  

• Lung Cancer Day - 1^st August 

• World Lung Day - 25^th  September

• World Spirometry Day - 14^th October 

• World Pneumonia Day - 12^th November

• World COPD day - 14^th November   

SERVICES TO BE ADDED IN FUTURE 

• EXHALED NITRIC OXIDE TEST
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation programme