Pune: Sahyadri Hospital launched a new department, which focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to managing lung diseases, as diseases related to unhealthy lungs are rising. The department was launched on Friday by Dr Andrew Churg, Head of Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia (UBC) Hospital, Vancouver, Canada.
Dr Ajit Kulkarni, General Thoracic and Thoracoscopy Surgeon, said, “The department will deal with the care and treatment of ailments such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), infections like influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis, lung cancer. The department will be proficient in services such as Bronchoscopy with Biopsy, Foreign Body removal, Laser Stenting, Rigid Bronchoscopy, Thoracic and Thoracoscopy Surgery, Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) and Lung and Esophageal Cancer Surgery and more.”
He added that according to a study, 2015 saw 3.6 million people dying due to the two most common chronic lung diseases - Asthma and COPD, worldwide.
“Often, due to symptomatic similarities between asthma and COPD, (wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness), patients are put on asthma treatment. This clinic will help patients get all the information and specific treatment, regardless of their social status,” Dr Kulkarni added.
This centre is being launched with an aim to provide best services for management of lung diseases.
