Advanced lung clinic inaugurated

Tirupati: A special clinic for patients suffering from lung disease in advanced stages was launched in SVIMS on Monday. The advanced lung clinic was set up in collaboration with the University of Texas South Western Medical Centre under the leadership of the Director cum Vice-Chancellor Dr TS Ravikumar.

At a function held here, the In-charge Director Dr M Hanumantha Rao, HoD of Medicine department Dr Alladi Mohan, and the Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and lung transplant expert, UT South Western Medical Centre, Texas, Dr Vaidehi Kaza inaugurated the advanced lung clinic.

This is one of the 10 institutes of excellence articulated in the roadmap of SVIMS after Dr Ravikumar took over the reins of SVIMS. The Professor of Medicine Dr Harikrishna will be the programme leader for this clinic which will have a pulmonary fellowship funded by a donor and is named NC Gupta Pulmonary Fellowship while Dr Vaidehi Kaza will be a mentor.

It is intended to treat the patients suffering from severe Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COLD), Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), severe uncontrolled bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). Patients suffering from these disorders will benefit from multidisciplinary team approach involving physician, cardiologist, cardio-thoracic surgeon, psychiatrist, physiotherapist and nutritionist.

People, who are suffering from these disorders, can utilise the facility on every Friday between 2-4 pm. It provides a comprehensive multidisciplinary care to patients suffering with advanced lung diseases along with investigations like six-minute walk test, pulmonary functional tests, bronchoscopy, HRCT chest, 2D echo and right heart catheterisation test at one place. Medical Superintendent Dr Alok Sachan, Associate Professor of Medicine Dr H Narendra, Nursing Superintendent C Sunitha, Dr Madhavi and others took part in the event.