Pulmonology is a subspecialty of internal medicine that deals with the diseases of the chest, including the lungs and the bronchial tubes. This discipline can also include evaluations of the nose, pharynx, heart, and throat. Pulmonologists are also consulted for tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema, infections of the chest, and pulmonary complications from injury or AIDS.

Pulmonology Staff Gul Khan, MD Rashid Shafiq, MD Shahrukh Kureishy, MD Arshad Abbasi, MD

Pulmonology is a subspecialty of the discipline of internal medicine. The study of pulmonology covers the diseases of the chest, which includes the lungs and the bronchial tubes. Doctors of pulmonology will also conduct patient evaluations of the pharynx, nose, throat and heart. Patients who have breathing problems will often be directed by their primary physician to consult with a doctor of pulmonology. The reasons to consult with a doctor of pulmonology include breathing problems such as asthma, emphysema, infections in the chest and pulomology-related complications that result from an injury or from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Methodist McKinney Hospital directly works with a group of consulting pulmonologists. These consulting pulmonology doctors have an extensive medical background, complete with seven or more years of medical school and postgraduate education before they are board certified in internal medicine. After this period of education and training, the pulmonology doctors then continue their pulmonology medical studies for another two to three years in addition to pulmonology education that is specific to the respiratory system.

Some of the services that a doctor of pulmonology will perform are sleep studies, a DXA scan (bone densitometer), electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG), pulmonary function test (PFT), arterial blood gas (ABG), nasolaryngoscope, flexible bronchoscopy, interventional bronchoscopy with endobrochial tumor ablation, foreign body removal and stent replacement, thoracentesis (pleural fluid aspiration) chest tube insertion, line placement including Swan-Ganz catheter and intubation.

A number of pulmonology doctors specialize in pulmonology and sleep disorders. These offerings are part of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and treating individuals who suffer from sleep disorders. These sleep disorders include excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy (an overwhelming urge to sleep), insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (regularly stop breathing), sleep walking, night terrors, nightmares, restless leg syndrome, sleep disorders related to shift work and snoring.

If you suffer from any of the above sleep disorders, your pulmonology doctor might recommend participating in a sleep study. This test monitors and charts the rhythms of the heart, brain waves and breathing during sleep. The sleep study also records eye and leg movements and tension in the muscles. During the pulmonology sleep study, the pulmonology doctor will place sensors on the patient's head, face, legs and chest. These sensors send electronic signals to a computer that records the sleep activity. The recording of the signals is tracked and monitored by a qualified pulmonology doctor.

Methodist McKinney Hospital works closely with a group of consulting pulmonologists.