ILD (Interstitial lung disease) clinic

ILD (Interstitial Lung Disease) clinic

Interstitial lung diseases are a group of lung diseases characterized by thickening of the alveolar walls (air sacs which deliver oxygen to the blood). This leads to people developing dry cough and breathlessness. If not diagnosed early and treated correctly, the changes become permanent and cure remains difficult. The cause for ILD and the type of ILD need to be identified for the best results. The therapy is then tailored as per the type of ILD and the cause of ILD.

At the ILD clinic, a detailed assessment of the patient is performed to characterize the type of ILD. The patients shall have access to the entire gamut of investigations (serologic tests, High resolution scans, Advanced lung function tests) which will help in identifying the type of ILD and the severity of ILS. A subset of patients shall require a biopsy to be performed to precisely identify the pattern of ILD. Minimally invasive techniques for obtaining lung biopsy include “Cryo biopsy”, which are made available to the patient. People with severe ILD, where medical therapy has failed, and who are likely to benefit from lung transplant shall be assessed by a team specialized in lung transplantation.