Pulmonary Function Lab
The Pulmonary
Function Lab provides pulmonary function testing
and diagnostics along with arterial blood gas
analysis. Pulmonary function tests are specialized
breathing tests performed to "fingerprint"
the breathing cycle. These tests help to measure
how well the lungs take in and exhale air but
also how efficiently they transfer oxygen into
the blood.
Spirometry
testing measures how well the lungs exhale. This
test helps in diagnosing certain types of lung
disorders, and is quite helpful in making a diagnosis
of obstructive lung diseases such as asthma and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Lung
volume measurements detect restrictive lung processes.
In this set of conditions a person cannot inhale
a normal volume of air. Restrictive lung diseases
may be caused by inflammation or scarring of the
lung tissue (interstitial lung disease) or by
abnormalities of the muscles or skeleton of the
chest wall.
Testing
the diffusion capacity (DLCO) permits an estimate
of the efficiency of the lungs transfer oxygen
from the air into the bloodstream.
Respiratory
Care
Respiratory
Care is an ancillary (subsidiary) department of
Pulmonary Medicine that provides:
- Oxygen therapy
- Ventilator management
- High-risk delivery support
- Airway stabilization
- Airway management
Educating
Patients, Their Families and Healthcare Professionals
Akron
General's Pulmonary Medicine Department offers
education for patients, their families, the community
and other healthcare professionals on the following
topics:
- Bedside instruction for meter
dose therapy
- Suctioning
- Incentive spirometry
- Flutter valve
- Peak flow meter
- Transtracheal oxygen therapy
- Mechanical ventilation
- Asthma education
- Breathing techniques
- Disease processes
- Respiratory medications
Testing
and Treatment
Testing
Diagnosis of a Pulmonary Disease
is established using the following tests:
- Oximetry
- Arterial blood gases
- Pulmonary function testing
- Pulmonary stress testing
- Histamine challenge testing
- Peak expiratory flow testing
- Carboxy-hemoglobin testing
- Indirect calorimetry testing
Treatment
Treatment options for patients
with established Pulmonary Disease are as follows:
- Aerosolized medications
- Incentive spirometry
- Therapep
- Intermiitent positive pressure
ventilation
- Oxygen therapy
- Meter dose therapy
- Non-Invasive ventilation
using BiPAP/CPAP
- Mechanical ventilation
- Chest physiotherapy
- Flutter
- Transtracheal oxygen therapy
- Airway care, including
suctioning
