Our thoracic/respiratory medicine service offers a comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical service for adults with conditions affecting the respiratory tract. At UCLH, we provide both a diagnostic and an interventional bronchoscopy service. Respiratory medicine is supported by respiratory and lung cancer nurse specialists, physiotherapists, a fully equipped lung function and sleep laboratory service, as well as excellent radiology, nuclear medicine and onsite thoracic surgery services. Multidisciplinary meetings are held for patients with lung malignancies and for those with interstitial lung disease. Our services include:
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Early lung cancer detection with autofluorescence bronchoscopy
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Endoscopic and endobronchial ultrasound
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Fibreoptic bronchoscopy
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Full lung function testing and exercise testing
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Home and ambulatory oxygen assessment
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Radiology: CT, USS, fusion PET-CT, MRI, bone scan
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Radiology guided lung biopsies
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Sleep studies
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Therapeutic rigid bronchoscopy – laser, endobronchial and tracheal stenting, brachytherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT) thoracotomy
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Mediastinoscopy
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VATS pleural biopsy and pleurodesis.
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Joint rheumatology/lung clinics for patients with lung damage and underlying collagen vascular disease
Conditions treated
We care for patients with:
- Asthma
- COPD
- Interstitial lung disease: including all forms of pulmonary fibrosis
- Lung cancer
- Lung infections and bronchiectasis
- Pleural disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Sleep respiratory disorders
- Collagen vascular disease associated lung disorders
Service statistics
We see approximately 7,500 outpatients a year. We also carry out around 400 day cases each year.