Pulmonology & Respiratory Medicine Centre

The Pulmonology & Respiratory Medicine Centre at SilverOak Health provides expert management of acute and chronic lung conditions, using advanced diagnostic technology and evidence-based treatment protocols to optimise respiratory function and quality of life. Our consultant respiratory physicians hold subspecialty interests in obstructive lung disease, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, respiratory oncology, pleural disease, interventional pulmonology, and sleep-disordered breathing.

Diagnostic capabilities include comprehensive pulmonary function testing encompassing spirometry, lung volumes by body plethysmography, diffusing capacity (DLCO), bronchoprovocation testing for asthma diagnosis, and six-minute walk test. Bronchoscopy services include standard flexible bronchoscopy with BAL and transbronchial biopsy, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) for mediastinal lymph node staging and sampling, electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy for peripheral lung lesion access, and cryobiopsy for interstitial lung disease diagnosis — achieving diagnostic yields superior to conventional forceps biopsy.

COPD management integrates optimised inhaler therapy with spirometry-guided stepping, pulmonary rehabilitation — our 12-week structured programme improving exercise capacity and reducing exacerbation frequency — smoking cessation pharmacotherapy, nutritional optimisation, and early supported discharge for exacerbations. Our interstitial lung disease clinic provides diagnosis and management of IPF, non-specific interstitial pneumonia, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, connective tissue disease-related ILD, and sarcoidosis, initiating antifibrotic therapy (nintedanib, pirfenidone) for progressive fibrotic ILD according to current ATS/ERS guidelines.

Pleural services include diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound-guided pleural aspiration, medical pleuroscopy (local anaesthetic thoracoscopy) for undiagnosed pleural effusions and pleural biopsy, indwelling pleural catheter insertion for recurrent malignant effusions, and chemical pleurodesis for pneumothorax and malignant effusion. Our thoracic MDT meets weekly, bringing together respiratory physicians, thoracic surgeons, radiologists, and oncologists to plan management for lung cancer and complex thoracic cases.

Pulmonary hypertension — managed within a specialist clinic in close collaboration with cardiology — encompasses assessment by right heart catheterisation, initiation and monitoring of pulmonary arterial hypertension-targeted vasodilator therapy, and co-management of left heart disease and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Asthma management at every severity level, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, sleep apnoea assessment and CPAP/NIV titration, and management of ventilated patients requiring long-term non-invasive respiratory support complete our comprehensive respiratory service.