Interventional Pulmonology
525 East 68th Street, M-404
New York, NY 10065
2625 East 14th Street, Suite 201
Brooklyn, NY 11235
170 William Street
New York, NY 10038
Interventional Pulmonology uses the latest technology to diagnose and treat a variety of lung conditions using minimally invasive techniques. Interventional pulmonologists undergo advanced training to provide these specialized services.
At Weill Cornell Medicine, interventional pulmonologists are part of a team of experts that provide comprehensive care to patients with complex chest disorders. This team includes thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists and ENT (ear-nose-throat) specialists.
Our Services
• Lung Cancer Screening Program — This program provides comprehensive evaluation for patients with pulmonary nodules. We also offer lung cancer screening to appropriate patients using a low dose chest CT.
• Advanced Bronchoscopy Program — Bronchoscopy is a diagnostic tool that allows us to examine your air passages by inserting an instrument called a bronchoscope.
• Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) — EBUS assists in diagnosing lung nodules and enlarged lymph nodes in the chest without surgery.
• Electromagnetic Navigational Bronchoscopy — This method uses a catheter with GPS tracking capabilities to locate difficult-to-reach lung nodules.
• Insertion of fiducial markers — These tiny gold seeds are placed in or near a tumor as a point of reference during stereotactic radiosurgery.
• Narrow Band Imaging — This technique uses light in blue and green wavelength spectrum to enhance certain aspects of airway lesions.
• Complex Airway Disease Program — We provide customized care for patients with cancer or non-cancer airway disorders. These conditions include:
• Relief of obstruction affecting the windpipe (trachea) and main bronchi
• Management of tracheostomy-related complications
• Treatment of tracheal scarring (the narrowing of windpipe)
• Evaluation and management of tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), an under-recognized condition resulting from excessive narrowing of main air passages during exhalation. TBM commonly causes chronic cough and shortness of breath that do not improve with standard treatment.
Our Treatments
We use a variety of advanced endoscopic techniques to perform procedures that were traditionally not possible or required extensive surgery. These include:
• Rigid and flexible bronchoscopy — This procedure uses a combination of metallic and fiberoptic cameras to examine the tracheobronchial tree.
• Cryotherapy — Cryotherapy uses cold nitrous oxide gas to freeze tumors or remove foreign bodies.
• Hot therapies — Examples of this type of therapy include Argon plasma coagulation (APC) and laser. During treatment, APC or lasers are used to burn the tumor and control bleeding.
• Airway Stenting — In this procedure, surgeons insert a metallic and silicone prosthesis to open up a blocked or closed airway.
• Endobronchial brachytherapy — Using a bronchoscope, physicians deliver a high dose of internal radiation to rapidly destroy a tumor blocking the trachea or bronchi.
• Photodynamic therapy — Photodynamic therapy is a light-based therapy delivered via a bronchoscope to destroy a tumor blocking the trachea or bronchi.
Pleural Disease Service
Pleural effusions occur when fluid accumulates between the lung and the pleura, the thin membranes that line the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity.
Weill Cornell Medicine offers a variety of treatments depending on your condition, including:
• Ultrasound-Guided Thoracentesis and Chest Tube Placement — In this procedure, we use a small catheter to remove pleural fluid. An ultrasound helps physicians determine where to insert the catheter making procedure safe.
• Tunneled Pleural Catheter — This option allows patients to leave the hospital with a pleural drain, thereby allowing patients to drain fluid at comfort of their home.
• Pleuroscopy — A pleuroscopy is a direct examination of the outer layer of the lung using a small camera through a single incision which allows physicians to determine the cause of fluid buildup. Pleural biopsies are performed under direct optical control
Endobronchial Treatment of Asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive lung disease) includes:
• Bronchial Thermoplasty Program — This novel bronchoscopic procedure offers additional treatment options for patients with severe asthma not responding to medical therapy.
• Endobronchial Lung Volume Reduction — This is a new bronchoscopic treatment option for select patients with severe emphysema that has been shown to improve breathlessness. Learn more about this procedure.
