Interventional Pulmonology

U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals in Pulmonology & Lung Surgery

Nationally Ranked in Pulmonology

UT Southwestern Medical Center is ranked as one of the nation's top 15 hospitals for pulmonology and lung surgery by U.S. News & World Report, and we are rated as "High Performing" for treatment of pneumonia, placing us among the country's leading facilities in this area of care.

The specialized interventional pulmonologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center perform sophisticated, minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat conditions in the lungs and chest. We are experts in advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including robotic bronchoscopy, and pleural procedures.

From lung nodules or masses to enlarged intrathoracic lymph nodes, pleural effusions, and advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), our experienced team can evaluate and treat a wide range of pulmonary concerns.

Minimally Invasive Lung Care: Interventional Pulmonology

Interventional pulmonology offers minimally invasive techniques to evaluate, diagnose, and treat chest conditions. Interventional pulmonologists use scopes and small instruments, rather than open surgery, to access the airways and lungs. Our goal is to provide exceptional, timely care – offering peace of mind for those undergoing lung cancer evaluations and immediate relief for patients with breathing difficulties.

As part of an academic health system committed to breakthrough medicine, our Interventional Pulmonology program collaborates with several subspecialty programs.

Conditions We Treat with Interventional Pulmonology

Our interventional pulmonologists and their teams can diagnose and treat many types of lung disease, such as:

Airway conditions, including obstructions, fistulas, strictures, stenosis (narrowing of the airway), and tracheobronchomalacia
Advanced emphysema and COPD
Broncho-pleural fistula and persistent air leaks
Foreign body aspiration
Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)
Interstitial lung disease
Lung cancer screening

Lung nodules and masses
Mediastinal and hilar adenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes) and masses
Pleural effusions (fluid around the lungs), masses and cancers
Pulmonary complications and symptoms related to cancer and cancer treatment
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
Tumors such as benign airway tumors, airway cancer, and lung cancer involving the airway

Interventional Pulmonology Procedures

Bronchoscopy

Our interventional pulmonologists perform bronchoscopies, either flexible or rigid, to view inside the lungs and airways for diagnosis and treatment by passing a small scope with a camera into the airways.

Diagnostic bronchoscopy uses:

Biopsy to take mucus or tissue samples for testing or examination under a microscope for signs of disease
Bronchoalveolar lavage to pass sterile saline through a segment of the lung to test for signs of bleeding, cancer, infection, or other conditions
Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) to evaluate and diagnose lung disorders using a bronchoscope with an ultrasound probe to create images of the inside of the lungs and structures around the airway
Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy combined with low-dose cone-beam computed tomography and EBUS to obtain targeted lung biopsy for nodules, masses or abnormal areas in the lungs.

Therapeutic bronchoscopy includes:

Ablation procedures using electrosurgical or laser tools for airway recanalization (reopening a blocked windpipe or airway)
Airway stenting to place stents (tiny tubes) into a narrowed airway to keep it open
Balloon dilation to open narrowed airways using a small balloon inflated with saline
Brachytherapy, a type of radiation therapy, to treat lung cancer
Bronchial valve placement for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction in patients with severe COPD or pneumothoraces (lung collapse) with persistent air leaks
Cryotherapy, a procedure using a thin probe and liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide to freeze and destroy diseased tissues – such as cancer or scar tissue – to perform biopsies
Foreign body removal to remove objects that have been inhaled into an airway

Pleural Procedures

Our interventional pulmonologists perform procedures to evaluate the accumulation of fluid between the lungs and chest well (pleural fluid) and abnormalities of the lining of the lungs or chest wall.

Thoracoscopy, or pleuroscopy, is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a few small incisions through the chest to access the pleura (lining on the outside of the lungs on the inner wall of the chest) with a scope and miniaturized instruments to view and access the outside of the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity for diagnosis and treatment.

Pleural procedures uses:

A biopsy to take tissue samples for testing or examination under a microscope for signs of disease
Pleurodesis to eliminate space between the lungs and the chest wall by adhering the layers of lining together
Thoracentesis to drain fluid from around the lungs
Tunneled, indwelling pleural catheters to drain excess fluid from between layers of tissue that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity to improve breathing

Advanced Programs

Complex Airway Program

Airway diseases include:

Supraglottic stenosis, glottic stenosis, subglottic stenosis, and tracheal stenosis
Airway tumors
Malacia
Excessive dynamic airway collapse
Tracheo-esophageal fistulas
Rare airway disorders

Managing these complex conditions requires seamless collaboration across multiple medical specialties. Our team bridges this gap by combining multidisciplinary expertise with a comprehensive array of advanced therapies to ensure patients receive the highest standard of coordinated care.

Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction Program

Our interventional pulmonologists offer a minimally invasive, nonsurgical treatment option for severe COPD and emphysema. During this quick outpatient procedure, tiny one-way valves are placed in the airways to block off the most diseased parts of the lungs.

By preventing air from becoming trapped in these damaged areas, the valves significantly reduce lung hyperinflation. This allows the healthier parts of the lungs to expand fully, helping patients breathe much more easily.

Patients treated with endobronchial 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

Lung Cancer Screening

UT Southwestern offers low-dose CT screening for lung cancer to look for signs of cancer in people at highest risk for developing lung cancer. Patients who are between age 50 and 80 and have smoked the equivalent of a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years have a high enough risk to be screened.

Multidisciplinary Lung Nodule Program

Our multidisciplinary Lung Nodule Program specializes in the evaluation, risk assessment, and management of pulmonary (lung) nodules detected on imaging. The program’s mission is to provide evidence-based, timely, and personalized care for patients with lung nodules

Clinical Trials

As one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, UT Southwestern offers clinical trials aimed at improving the outcomes of patients with pulmonary disease.

Clinical trials often give patients access to leading-edge treatments that are not widely available. Eligible patients who choose to participate in one of UT Southwestern’s clinical trials might receive treatments years before they are available to the public.