More than 30 million Americans suffer from chronic lung conditions, including emphysema, asthma and lung cancer. According to the American Lung Association, pulmonary disease is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the number one killer of infants under the age of one. As with any disease, early detection is key to a successful treatment and outcome.
The Lung Center in the Women's Guild Lung Institute is dedicated to providing comprehensive screening, diagnostic, therapeutic and management services for the complete range of pulmonary diseases and disorders. A highly experienced team of pulmonary specialists delivers personalized care within The Lung Center's state-of-the-art facilities. As part of world-renowned Cedars-Sinai, a trusted name in healthcare, The Lung Center is on the leading edge of research and implements a rapid laboratory bench-to-bedside approach to medicine, ensuring that adult and pediatric patients benefit from the most advanced medical technology and procedures available.
The Lung Center offers the very latest in technology for detecting lung disease at the earliest stages, when treatment is most effective. In addition to endoscopy, which uses a miniature camera attached to a tube to look inside the body, The Lung Center's physicians can "see" inside the body by using computer technology, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET), to make an accurate, virtual image of the body's interior. Available diagnostic services include:
- Needle or surgical biopsies
- PET
- MRI
- Pulmonary exercise tests
- X-rays
- Bronchoscopy
- Computerized axial tomography (CAT)
Patients who come to The Lung Center, after having already been diagnosed with lung disease from another source, can receive a qualitative second opinion. The Lung Center's testing procedures leave nothing to chance, and patients receive expert medical advice.
Once a disease is found, The Lung Center provides a complete array of treatment options to eradicate the disease or manage its effect. The Lung Center's physicians are knowledgeable in the most up-to-date procedures and are highly experienced in innovative surgical techniques. As with certain diagnostic procedures, physicians may treat patients using visually aided techniques, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), a minimally invasive procedure in which a miniature camera guides the surgeon. Available treatment services include:
- VATS
- Laser surgery for obstructed airways
- Chemotherapy
- Lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema
- Drug therapy
- Radiation therapy
Patients of The Lung Center also have access to other quality Cedars-Sinai programs, including the Center for Lung Transplantation, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center and the Department of Rehabilitation.
The Lung Center at Cedars-Sinai is on the forefront of medical technology and offers patients access to the latest clinical trials and investigational studies involving new treatments for diseases of the pulmonary system. Among other national and international studies, The Lung Center is one of the principal centers for the National Institutes of Health study for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), investigating lung-volume reduction as an effective treatment for end-stage emphysema.
The Lung Center is comprised of a world-class team of pulmonary specialists, including pioneers in the field. Surgeons at The Lung Center were some of the first to use video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and are still among the very few professionals in the world with VATS experience. The specialists are highly skilled in accurately identifying pulmonary disease and in determining the most effective treatments. This team includes:
- Pulmonologists
- Oncologists
- Technicians
- Thoracic surgeons
- Nurses
The Lung Center's experienced team works with the referring physician to determine the best course of treatment for each patient and keeps the referring physician apprised of the patient's condition. When the patient is referred back to the primary care physician for continued management, the Center's physicians remain available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide post-treatment support.
