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School of Medicine Home > Departments > Pediatrics > Pulmonary Medicine |
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The Division of Pulmonary Medicine deals with the breath of life in all its aspects: control of breathing; sleep and wakefulness; obstruction to airflow in the common diseases of upper and lower airways such as croup, bronchiolitis, asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia; restriction to lung function from disorders affecting the chest wall, the musculature, the nervous system, or lung tissue itself; congenital anomalies; accidents such as inhalation of foreign bodies, hydrocarbons, or toxic gases; secondary effects of non-pulmonary system disorders such as gastrointestinal reflux, myopathy, or cardiac dysfunction; disease of the upper respiratory tract including rhinitis and sinusitis; and so on. In many cases, diagnoses are not immediately apparent, and an efficient approach to the differential consideration of causation with procedures such as pulmonary function testing, bronchoprovocation, exercise testing, various imaging methods, in vitro evaluation of immune competence and allergic sensitization, and flexible fiberoptic videobronchoscopy, is important. Our Division works closely with many others, as the above considerations imply. The Division is busy, seeing ~3,500 referral patient visits in clinic last year while taking care of an inpatient service of ~4,000 patient-days and hundreds of consults. Infants, children, and adolescents with respiratory problems are seen in four days of clinic each week. In addition, the Division operates a vigorous outreach program at several sites around Northern California. Our Cystic Fibrosis Center cares for ~250 patients of all ages, and works closely with the Stanford Health System's Lung Transplant Program. A team approach to patients with chronic diseases is essential. The team includes, in addition to the physicians, nurse practitioners, a clinic coordinator, nurses, a nutritionist, a social worker, physical therapists, respiratory diagnostic specialists, respiratory therapists, resource counselors, translators, a discharge coordinator, a chaplain, clinical research associates, and laboratory technicians. Once a week the clinical team meets, focusing on coordinated care of sick inpatients. The diversity of our working group reminds all of us that most fundamentally our work is more about relieving the suffering of young human beings than satisfying our own individual professional and personal goals. Providing support for patients, families, friends, and colleagues coping with sometimes harsh realities is an essential part of this dynamic. Division members are committed not only to delivering the highest quality clinical care but also to preserving and advancing our academic missions of teaching and research. Teaching is a continuous process and inseparable from the lifelong learning that is at the heart of the profession of medicine. At any time, basic and clinical research projects involving our staff and patients are ongoing. Current research stresses rapid investigation of vanguard therapies for devastating illnesses, such as our first-in-the-world AAV-CFTF gene therapy and CPX pharmacotherapy trials in our CF patients. Contact Division Chief: Richard Moss |
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