Allergy Treatments and Procedures
Learn more about lung and allergy treatments and procedures employed by the Department of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine.
Airway Stents
Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) are the newest method of opening large airway obstructions. Cleveland Clinic pulmonologists have extensive experience placing SEMS using a flexible bronchoscope. The treatments are safe, can be performed in a procedure room without general anesthesia, and provide immediate relief of symptoms in 95 percent of patients. The procedure can also be performed in the intensive care unit on ventilator-dependent patients.
SEMS, which look like wire-mesh cages, are useful in holding open an airway compromised by a tumor, fistula or other type of tissue. SEMS are not curative, in that they do not change the disease process. These treatments do, however, make breathing easier.
Arterial Blood Gas Analysis
Arterial blood gas analysis is a common test that measures the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. The results reveal whether or not adequate amounts of oxygen are reaching the blood and carbon dioxide is being expelled. The test is done on a blood sample taken from an artery in the arm.
Brachytherapy Treatments
Brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that involves the temporary placement of small radioactive seeds in the airway near a tumor constricting the airway.
Bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy is the gold standard test for seeing inside the airway. The test can be performed to diagnose lung diseases or aid in allergy treatments, locating the source of a problem by visualizing the throat, larynx, trachea and lungs and collecting tissue samples for biopsy. For these purposes, a long, thin tube called a flexible bronchoscope is used. The test does not require general anesthesia, although a local anesthetic is used. It involves passing a tube called a bronchoscope through the nose or mouth, past the vocal chords and down the airway as far as necessary. A small camera conveys the images to a television monitor. Bronchoscopy can also be used to remove objects or mucus blocking the airway, or to destroy growths in the airway.