Interventional Pulmonology

Interventional Pulmonology at UVM Health

Interventional pulmonology (IP) is a rapidly growing field that offers leading-edge, minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat a broad range of lung and chest diseases.

As a health system anchored by an academic medical center, University of Vermont Health provides you with access to world-class, pioneering IP care. In 2013, to better serve those in our community suffering from lung disorders, we established the first interventional pulmonary program in northern New England.

Why Choose UVM Health?

Our nationally-recognized team of board-certified pulmonologists will create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific diagnosis. To provide our patients with the most comprehensive care possible, our IP providers and nurses work closely with specialists from thoracic surgery, oncology, radiation oncology, pathology and thoracic radiology.

We offer:

Innovative treatment options: Our high-volume IP program offers a full spectrum of minimally invasive procedures for a range of lung and chest conditions. Members of our team have helped to develop innovative new treatments for severe emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and have pioneered new ways to deliver cancer therapies directly into lung tumors, avoiding side effects of systemic therapy.
State-of-the-art facilities: We offer a complete interventional pulmonary suite where our specialists perform a variety of therapies using cutting-edge equipment, such as our MONARCHTM robotic bronchoscopy system.
Evidenced-based care: As part of a health system anchored by an academic medical center, many of our physicians are active researchers. Our active involvement in innovative, early-phase clinical trials gives our patients access to promising, emerging therapies offered — in many cases — only within our health system.

Conditions We Treat With IP Procedures

We offer IP services for a variety of conditions, including:

Lung cancer
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Pleural diseases and pleural effusion (excess fluid in space around lungs)
Lung nodules (small growths in the lungs)
Tracheal stenosis (narrowing of the windpipe)

Treatments We Provide

As innovators at the forefront of IP care, we provide you with a wide array of minimally invasive therapies not found in all hospitals.

Our specialists have extensive experience performing a variety of treatments, including:

Rigid bronchoscopy: Allows for the safe mechanical removal of tissues or foreign bodies
Argon plasma coagulation: Controls bleeding
Laser photoresection: Removes central airway obstructions
Cryotherapy: For endobronchial or tracheal narrowing
Stent placement: Expands narrow airways and improve oxygen flow
Photodynamic therapy: Light-activated medication that precisely treats tumors
Pleuroscopy/thoracoscopy: For the inspection and biopsy of pleura diseases
Tunneled pleural catheter placement: For management of pleural effusions
Endobronchial valve placement: An advanced COPD therapy

What to Expect From an IP Procedure

Sophisticated technology and the use of special instruments allow our interventional pulmonologists to provide less invasive surgical solutions that quickly get you back to your normal activities.

Interventional pulmonologists perform treatments by passing tiny cameras and/or surgical tools through bronchoscopes (thin, lighted tubes) placed in the mouth or nose to view and reach all areas of the airway and lungs.

Many procedures are performed on an outpatient basis and use moderate sedation for faster recovery than general anesthesia. For additional monitoring and pain management, some interventions may require you to spend a night or two in the hospital – far less time than most conventional surgeries.