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Two nurses in scrubs looking at a monitor
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Two nurses in scrubs looking at a monitor
Expert care for asthma, COPD, lung cancer, pneumonia and more

Lung & Respiratory Conditions

Overview

You can breathe easier with respiratory and pulmonary care at Ballad Health.

Our board-certified pulmonologists – also known as lung doctors – treat even the most complex of respiratory conditions.

When you or a loved one visits a Ballad Health facility, you can trust that you're receiving some of the best lung care in the Appalachian Highlands.

Pulmonary services and treatments

Ballad Health facilities offer comprehensive treatments and tests for a wide variety of respiratory conditions.

Areas of Care

Conditions We Treat

  • Asthma
  • Black lung
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Emphysema
  • Intersititial lung disease
  • Lung cancer
  • Lung infections
  • Lung transplant
  • Pneumonia
  • Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Restrictive lung disease

What to expect

VATS lung and thoracic surgery

If you need lung or thoracic (chest) surgery, your doctor may use less-invasive, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

For this type of procedure, the surgeon makes tiny incisions (cuts in the skin) and inserts miniature medical tools and a very small video camera that shows the inside of your body. Because there's not a large incision, you'll recover faster.

Your surgeon might use VATS to perform a lobectomy (removal of part of a lung) or lung biopsy (test for cancer).

Learn more about what you can expect from a surgical procedure and post-surgery recovery.

Advanced surgical technology for minimally invasive pulmonary procedures

For minimally invasive procedures like biopsies or wedge resections, your doctor may recommend robotic-assisted surgery. Robotic-assisted surgery utilizes robotic tools that provide more accuracy, allowing surgeons to make even smaller incisions than a traditional procedure.

Robotic-assisted surgery offers minimal scarring, a smaller chance for complications or infection, a faster recovery time and far less surgical pain.

Learn more about robotic-assisted surgery.

Bronchial thermoplasty for asthma

If an inhaler isn't working for you, ask your doctor about bronchial thermoplasty.

This treatment uses mild heat to shrink the amount of tissue in your airways and make breathing easier.

Before the procedure, you will receive a sedative – a medicine to relax you. Your doctor will slide a thin tube through your mouth or nose and into your airways and apply mild heat. Sessions take place three times every three weeks.

After finishing your treatment, you may need to take less asthma medication. You may also have fewer asthma attacks for several years.

High-quality respiratory care

Our high rankings and national recognition show you can trust us to provide quality services that keep you safe and have confidence in your treatment.

 

Ballad Health nurse smiling