We take special care of the lungs of our patients.  It is clear that healthy breathing and oxygen delivery to all of the body’s organs is the most vital aspects of healthy living.  Respiratory care falls under the following 2 categories:

• Pulmonary Service: This service is covered by an American board certified consultant with special training in intensive care and pulmonary medicine.  Patients with acute or chronic lung problems are commonly referred to the pulmonary clinic for consultations.  Alternatively, a bedside examination session is requested to ensure optimum treatment of pulmonary problems.  A bronchoscopy is available, for patients at KHCC, within the facility with no need for referral to another institution. The service is also supported by a comprehensive pulmonary function testing laboratory.
• Respiratory Therapy:  our staff 12 respiratory therapists works hard to assess the needs of our floor and ICU patients.  Those in need of oxygen therapy, delivery of bronchodilators (medications to relieve narrowing of airways) or chest physiotherapy (breathing exercises) need constant supervision and assistance from a respiratory therapist.  In addition, our staff provides assistance in managing patients on breathing machines (ventilators) with adjustment of machine parameters, suctioning and extubation (removing the breathing tube) once a patient recovers.

Bronchoscopy

A bronchoscopy is a medical procedure where a tube is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth. This allows the practitioner to examine the inside of a patient's airway, in search of abnormalities such as foreign bodies, bleeding, tumors, or inflammation. The practitioner often takes samples from inside the lungs: tissue for biopsies, fluid (bronchoalveolar lavage) or endobronchial brushing. The practitioner uses a tube called a “bronchoscope” to be able to go through the airways.

Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT)

Pulmonary function tests are a group of tests that measure how well the lungs take in and release air and how well they move gases such as oxygen from the atmosphere into the body's circulation

PFT testing can done before or during chemotherapy treatment to watch for lung toxicity.  They are also helpful in managing patients who suffer from chronic lung problems as a result of prolonged smoking or chronic asthma.  Frequently, PFTs are ordered before major surgery to check a patient’s lung function before undergoing surgery.

This special test evaluates lung function or how well they work.  The test determines how much air one’s lungs can hold, how quickly air can be moveed in and out, how well the lungs can deliver oxygen and dispose of carbon dioxide.  The test includes the following:

• Spirometry: A measure of how much and how quickly a person can move air out of his/her lungs.  The patient is asked to breathe into a mouthpiece that is attached to a machine.  The breathing will be documented on a special chart called a “spirogram”.  Sometimes, medications may be perscribed to open the airways (bronchodilators) and see how responsive your lungs are to medications.
• Gas Diffusion Tests: This test measures the amount of oxygen and other gasses that move to and from your blood. 
•  Lung volumes Test
  This test helps in measuring the total volume of air that a person’s lungs can handle.
  This test can be done at our lab by two methods:
  Lung volume by Nitrogen washout
  Lung volume by body plethysmography
  
• Cardio-Pulmonary Exercise Testing:
  
  A test performed to provide a global assessment of the integrative exercise response involving the pulmonary, cardiovascular, hematopoietic, neuropsychological and skeletal system, which is not adequately reflected through the measurement of individual organ system function.

Respiratory Therapy Services

Our respiratory therapists provide patients with the following services:

1.   Emergency airway management

2.   Handle Invasive and Non Invasive Mechanical Ventilation sitting up, maintenance and trouble shooting) and ensuring optimal ventilation management.

3.   Provide chest physiotherapy, postural drainage

4.   Aerosolized bronchodilator management

5.   Perform tracheal, endotracheal and nasopharyngeal suctioning including the installation of pharmacologic agents according to the center’s policy.

6.   Assist in the insertion, maintenance and care of the trachestomy tube.

7.   Perform and describe to patients the various modes of mechanical ventilation, PIPAP therapy and HFOV.

What makes our service unique?

 1.We have a comprehensive PFT unit that offers standard pulmonary function testing, cardio-pulmonary exercise testing as well as impulse oscillometry testing of lung function for kids who are unable to perform a standard PFT.

2.We believe in education. We work hard to train patients and health care providers in the proper use of inhalers, physiotherapy and incentive spirometry. This has proven to be the most successful way to manage and prevent breathing problems for our patients.

3.We believe in multidisciplinary care. Respiratory therapists at KHCC are involved in multidisciplinary rounds in the floor and ICU.

4.Our respiratory therapists have special training in handling ventilators, including administering meter dose inhalers through close systems for patients on ventilators, handling high frequency oscillatory ventilators and the proper use of BiPAB machines.