Lung & Respiratory Care

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is an inherited genetic disorder. When you have this condition, you are likely to get emphysema and liver disease. You get care from lung and critical care experts. The Lahey team has been diagnosing and treating this disease since 1988.

If you have asthma, you can get full treatment at Lahey. A multidisciplinary team of allergy, immunology, and pulmonary specialists meet to evaluate your case.

Asthma affects the airways. The condition causes spasms of the smooth muscle in the lungs. It creates excessive tissue inflammation and excess lung secretions. 

You can be diagnosed with asthma early or late in life. At the Lahey Asthma Center, we teach you how to manage your care and explain medical therapy. You get access to the most advanced treatments, including thermoplasty.

Emphysema is one of the most common forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. Emphysema is a long-term lung disease. The condition damages the air sacs in your lungs and causes breathing problems. Your air sacs cannot capture enough oxygen.

There is no cure for emphysema but you can control your condition with medicines, pulmonary rehabilitation, and bronchoscopic and surgical lung volume reduction. You may also be a member of a COPD registry and participate in clinical trials.

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a group of 180 lung diseases. The most common type of ILD is pulmonary fibrosis, which causes scarring of the parts of the lung that move oxygen from the air to the blood.

You can develop pulmonary fibrosis after an infection, inflammation, or environmental exposure. The lung scarring can interfere with your normal lung function and cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing.

Diagnosing ILD is complex but early diagnosis is key in order to prevent or slow worsening lung function. Most people with ILD are diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 70.

Treatment may include drugs that target inflammation or drugs that slow the scarring process. If appropriate, you may be able to take part in clinical trials.

A pleural disorder affects the lining (pleura) of the lungs. You can be diagnosed with different types of pleural disorders, such as:

• Pleurisy, an inflammation of the pleura
• Thickening of the lung lining
• Pleural effusion, an accumulation of excess fluid

To make a diagnosis, your doctor may use:

• Biopsy
• Thoracoscope camera
• X-rays

Your doctor also uses these tools to provide interventional pulmonology treatments.

There are many kinds of pneumonia. You are most likely to get pneumonia from a bacterial or viral infection. These are the most common types of pneumonia.

Pneumonia causes increased fluid in the lungs. Viral pneumonia occurs most often in the winter. Young children and people over age 60 face the most severe symptoms from pneumonia. 

If you get pneumonia, you can be treated at home. If your infection is severe, you may need hospitalization. You receive care from Lahey doctors who specialize in the treatment of critical care and lung conditions and infectious diseases.

Pulmonary hypertension occurs when there is high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. This condition is called primary or pulmonary arterial hypertension (not associated to underlying disease) or secondary (associated to other conditions). These conditions include:

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare form of this condition. PAH happens when arteries in the lungs become narrow, thickened or stiff. This increases blood pressure in the arteries. PAH requires evaluation by a lung specialist for diagnosis and management. There is no cure for PAH but you can manage your care with specialized medicines.

You can access treatment for all forms of pulmonary hypertension. We offer both inpatient and outpatient care with close clinical follow-up. If appropriate you may be able to take part in clinical trials.

Sarcoidosis causes your body tissues to swell. This inflammation creates small lumps (nodules or granulomas) in the tissues. Sarcoidosis often starts in the lungs and spreads to other organs and tissues. You can get treatments to control your symptoms and improve lung function. Your care team also treat other organs affected by this disease.

Our providers are members of the multidisciplinary team at Lahey, recognized as a member of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) Global Sarcoidosis Clinic Alliance (GSCA).

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly contagious lung infection. The condition is common worldwide. If you have TB or are at risk for the condition, you can get care at Lahey. At our state-funded clinic, you receive treatment from doctors who specialize in infectious disease and tuberculosis prevention and control.