When faced with troubled breathing or chronic lung disease, St. Bernards has the resources to help.
Dr. Sifford & Dr. Cohen successfully completed their 100th Zephyr Valve case in February 2023.
Bronchoscopy —
Bronchoscopy is a medical procedure where a tube is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth. This allows the medical practitioner to examine inside a patient's airway for abnormalities such as foreign bodies, bleeding, tumors or inflammation. The practitioner often takes samples for testing from inside the lungs: biopsies, fluid (bronchoalveolar lavage), and/or endobronchial brushing.
Click here to learn about the Zephyr Endobronchial Valve Procedure for Severe COPD/Emphysema.
Bronchial Thermoplasty —
Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) is a bronchoscopic procedure for the treatment of severe persistent asthma in individuals who are 18 years and older, whose asthma is not well controlled. St. Bernards is currently one of only two hospitals in Arkansas actively treating chronic severe asthma using BT.
Click here for more information on the Bronchial Thermoplasty bronchoscopy procedure.
Pulmonary Function Testing —
Pulmonary function testing is used to measure lung capacity. This test may be used to evaluate conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Pulmonary function testing is painless and requires approximately five minutes to perform. Spirometry (meaning the measuring of breath) is the most common of the Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs), measuring lung function, specifically the measurement of the amount and/or speed of air that can be inhaled and exhaled. Spirometry is an important tool used for generating pneumotachograph to assessing conditions such as asthma, pulmonary fibrosis and COPD.
Sleep Studies —
Pulmonology offers sleep studies at St. Bernards Medical Center. Sleep studies are tests that watch what happens to your body during sleep to determine what is causing sleep problems. Our physicians are board-certified in Sleep Medicine and our pulmonary staff is trained to provide the highest quality of care at the St. Bernards Sleep Disorders Center.
For more information on sleep disorders and sleep studies offered at St. Bernards, click here.
Thoracentesis —
Thoracentesis is an invasive procedure to remove fluid or air from the pleural space for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. A hollow needle is carefully introduced into the thorax, after administration of a local anesthesia. If a large amount of fluid is present, then this procedure can also be used to remove that fluid and improve patient comfort and lung function.
Radiology —
St. Bernards Radiology Department provides CT scans and high-quality digital diagnostic X-rays, available for immediate review by our physicians. Chest X-rays can be used to identify lung diseases such as pneumonia, lung cancer or pulmonary edema.
For more information on pulmonary services at St. Bernards, please call the Healthline at 870.207.7300.