Pulmonary Medicine

Overview

How you breathe affects every part of your life, from participating in activities you enjoy to getting a good night’s sleep. When difficulty breathing disrupts your days or nights, count on the pulmonology specialists at Cleveland Clinic Florida for expert, personalized care.

Why choose Cleveland Clinic Florida?

Cleveland Clinic Florida experts offer advanced pulmonary care at convenient locations throughout South Florida and the Treasure Coast. You have access to highly specialized lung care at our Weston, Indian River and Martin hospitals. Our program highlights include:

Dedicated specialty care: Each of our pulmonologists has extra training and experience in their area of specialty. Our multidisciplinary team develops a comprehensive treatment plan for your care, ensuring you see the right specialist at the right time. Meet our doctors.
Collaborative approach: Our pulmonary experts work with Cleveland Clinic Florida specialists in cardiology, internal medicine and cardiothoracic surgery. We work together to offer treatment plans customized for your needs.
Patient-first approach: Our specialists put you first in every way. We prioritize your care and comfort in every interaction. We focus on clear communication and measurable quality in each aspect of your care. Our experts answer your questions, make sure you understand all available treatment options and have access to the information you need.
Demonstrated expertise: You have access to pulmonary care providers who are industry-leading specialists in advanced diagnostics and treatment. Our pulmonologists have years of experience in treating the most complex pulmonary conditions. No matter what type of pulmonary challenge you face, you can have confidence in our team’s ability to help. Learn more about the awards and recognition that our pulmonary care program has received.

Lung Conditions We Treat

Your lungs play a critical role in the work of your respiratory system. When lung disease affects your ability to get the oxygen you need, our experts can help. The board-certified and fellowship-trained pulmonologists at Cleveland Clinic Florida treat the most complex lung conditions with compassion and expertise.

The pulmonology experts at Cleveland Clinic Florida treat all lung diseases and conditions that affect breathing and sleeping. Meet our doctors.

Our experts get to know you to understand how symptoms affect you and develop treatment plans that work for your life. We offer personalized care for:

Airway diseases

Your airways are tubes that allow oxygen to flow into the lungs and waste products (carbon dioxide) to flow out. Air travels through your windpipe and a series of smaller tubes deep into your lungs. Airway diseases are conditions that affect this network of tubes. We treat:

Genetic pulmonary conditions

Genetic pulmonary conditions, or inherited lung conditions, are rare lung diseases linked to conditions that run in families. These conditions include:

Infectious diseases that affect the lungs

Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses. Many infectious diseases can affect your lungs and breathing. We treat lung problems associated with:

Interstitial lung disease

Interstitial lung diseases cause scar tissue to form in the lungs (fibrosis). When scarring develops, lungs become stiff. This rigidity makes breathing difficult and causes coughing, shortness of breath and fatigue.

We treat all types of interstitial lung disease, including:

Lung disease caused by scleroderma and other connective tissue diseases.
Pulmonary fibrosis.
Sarcoidosis.

Rheumatoid and immune system-related lung diseases

If you have rheumatoid arthritis or immune system conditions, you may be at higher risk for lung diseases, such as:

Vascular pulmonary conditions

Vascular pulmonary conditions are disorders that affect the blood vessels in your lungs and how blood travels between your heart and lungs. We treat:

Lung Cancer Treatment

Our pulmonary specialists work with Cleveland Clinic Florida cardiac and thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, imaging radiologists and radiation oncologists to care for all lung cancers. We offer expert evaluation of lung nodules and lung cancer screening to identify lung cancers early when they are most treatable.

Pulmonary Disease Diagnosis & Treatment

Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy

When breathing troubles occur, accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment can help restore lung health. Expert pulmonologists at Cleveland Clinic Florida offer prompt diagnosis of all pulmonary diseases.

We offer personalized treatments to help you breathe easier. We offer pulmonary care throughout South Florida and the Treasure Coast at our Weston Hospital, Indian River Hospital and Martin Health Hospital locations.

Pulmonary Disease Diagnosis

Our imaging and biopsy techniques provide precise diagnoses of primary and metastatic lung cancers. Cleveland Clinic Florida experts use sophisticated diagnostic technologies to identify the most complex pulmonary conditions.

Imaging tests for pulmonary disease

Our experts use imaging tests to see changes to the structure of the lungs and airways. Tests include:

Chest X-ray.
Chest ultrasound.
CT scan.
Electrocardiogram.
PET scan.

Minimally invasive procedures for pulmonary disease

Our pulmonologists use advanced tools to obtain detailed views and image-guided biopsies of lung tissue. We use minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat pulmonary conditions:

Bronchoscopy: In bronchoscopy, specialists insert a thin tube (bronchoscope) with a light and camera to see detailed images of your airways and lungs. The bronchoscope may be flexible or rigid.
Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS): Experts insert a bronchoscope with an attached camera and ultrasound probe into your windpipe and lungs. This test provides close-up views of areas of concern.
Mediastinoscopy: Specialists use a thin instrument with a light and camera (mediastinoscope) to view the area between your lungs. They insert the mediastinoscope through a small incision in the chest and may remove a tissue sample.
Pleural needle biopsy: Experts take a sample from the tissue lining the chest cavity (pleura). They insert a needle through the chest wall into the chest cavity to retrieve a sample. When we combine it with an ultrasound or CT scan, this test is called an image-guided pleural needle biopsy.
Swan-Ganz catheterization: Specialists insert a flexible tube (catheter) into your heart and pulmonary arteries to check blood pressure in your lungs. This procedure is also called right heart catheterization.

Lung cancer screening

Our specialists provide comprehensive lung screenings to identify lung nodules and diagnose lung cancers early. We provide low-dose CT scans for eligible smokers and former smokers. With early detection, you can begin treatment when lung cancer is most treatable. Learn more about lung nodules and lung cancer screenings at Cleveland Clinic Florida.

Pulmonary function testing

We use pulmonary function testing to evaluate your breathing and lung capacity. We use these tests to diagnose pulmonary disease and to inform treatment options. We may recommend tests to determine:

How you breathe (spirometry).
Your blood oxygen level (pulse oximetry).

Treatment at Cleveland Clinic Florida

Our pulmonary medicine specialists design personalized treatment plans for pulmonary disease. You have access to expert pulmonologists, leading-edge treatments and clinical trials. We offer:

Critical care for pulmonary disease

When pulmonary disease is life threatening, our pulmonology specialists work with experts in our intensive care unit (ICU) to restore breathing. We provide expert bronchoscopic intubations and other critical care services to improve breathing right away.

Interventional pulmonology procedures

Cleveland Clinic Florida interventional pulmonologists are specialists who use minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat people with pulmonary disease. Our experts provide:

Airway stenting and dilation: Specialists expand narrowed airways by inserting a wire mesh stent or a balloon to widen the airway.
Bronchial thermoplasty: Experts use heat to shrink smooth muscle and keep it from tightening. This procedure helps prevent asthma symptoms.
Cryotherapy: Specialists use liquid nitrogen to create extreme cold that destroys damaged lung tissue.
Laser therapy: Doctors use laser beams to destroy diseased lung tissue, including cancerous tissue.
Thoracentesis: Experts insert a catheter into the chest to remove excess fluid from the pleura. We offer ultrasound-guided thoracentesis.

Surgery for pulmonary disease

Our pulmonologists and cardiac and thoracic surgeons treat certain pulmonary conditions with surgery. We perform:

Lobectomy: Surgeons remove a lobe (section) of the lung that contains diseased tissue.
Lung volume reduction surgery: Specialists remove the damaged portion of a lung to help you breathe better.
Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS): Specialists insert a thin tube with a light and camera (thorascope) through an incision in your chest. They place the thorascope between the ribs and use video imaging to guide specialized tools that remove damaged lung tissue.

Treatment for Sleep Disorders

Our board-certified and fellowship-trained sleep medicine pulmonologists have extra education and training in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. Sleep experts in our lung health testing and education programs work with you to develop personalized treatment plans for:

Insomnia.
Sleep apnea.

Lung Nodules & Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer is highly treatable when caught early. The dedicated specialists at Cleveland Clinic Florida focus on diagnosing lung cancer as early as possible to improve health outcomes. Our team provides expert lung nodule diagnosis and personalized treatment plans.

Diagnosing and Treating Lung Nodules

Many people have small areas of abnormal tissue in their lungs (lung nodules) that are usually not cancer. But when lung nodules are cancerous, an early and accurate diagnosis means you can begin treatment right away. With earlier treatment, there’s a greater chance that cancer can be cured.

Lung nodules might be scarring or damage created by earlier lung infections or other lung conditions. If you have a lung nodule, you may not have any symptoms. Your doctor may see a lung nodule when you have an imaging test for another reason.

If you’re experiencing a cough or other symptoms, your doctor may recommend imaging tests such as:

Chest X-ray.
CT scan.

Cleveland Clinic Florida pulmonologists are experts in diagnosing lung nodules. We work closely with pathology and radiology specialists to get you accurate and quick answers. With prompt diagnosis, you have access to immediate treatment when you need it — and peace of mind when you don’t.

We may diagnose, stage and remove lung nodules using bronchoscopy. Our experts use sophisticated techniques such as:

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS): Experts diagnose and stage cancerous lung nodules by inserting a flexible tube (bronchoscope) into your windpipe. Specialists use this technique to visualize structures beyond the airway, allowing direct visualization during staging biopsies.
Navigational bronchoscopy: Specialists use this procedure to diagnose nodules in the center and toward the outer edges of the lungs. CT scan images create a map of specific nodules within the lung, allowing experts to detect and remove diseased tissue.
Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy: Experts use robotic bronchoscopy to inspect nodules at the outside (periphery) of the lungs near the ribcage. We use a controller to precisely maneuver a flexible bronchoscope to reach the smallest airways.

Whenever possible, our experts diagnose and treat you in as few steps as possible. We refer you to our cardiac and thoracic surgeons to remove early-stage lung cancer. You may see a medical or radiation oncologist for treatment after surgery.

Lung Cancer Screening

Low-dose CT scans are available for smokers and people with a history of smoking who qualify. We have you complete our lung cancer risk assessment questionnaire to learn more about your smoking history. Depending on your smoking history, we may recommend:

Additional screening of suspicious lung tissue

We’ve developed a lung nodule screening program that allows our radiologists to flag suspicious lung lesions. Images are automatically added to a database for review and expedited work-up by our expert pulmonary team. We reach out to you or your primary care doctor to recommend further testing if these lung areas warrant evaluation for lung cancers.

Low-dose CT scan

If you’re a smoker or have a history of smoking, you may be eligible for a screening called low-dose CT scan. This test uses a lower radiation dose to create images of your lungs so experts can check for nodules or masses to find lung cancers when they are most curable. Our specialists follow U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines to determine your eligibility for this screening.

Radiologists don’t always find lung nodules in people who smoke or have a history of smoking, but regular screening is important to spot lung cancers early. If experts detect a nodule or mass, we may recommend more testing. Learn more about pulmonary disease diagnosis and treatment at Cleveland Clinic Florida.

Lung Health Testing and Education

Your lungs are the foundation of every breath you take. That’s why taking care of your lung health is so important. Cleveland Clinic Florida offers education, treatments and strategies to improve your pulmonary health.

Our pulmonary medicine experts provide breathing evaluations and personalized therapies that improve pulmonary function. We help you cope with any lung health challenges you may face.

Lung Health Programs We Offer

Our board-certified and fellowship-trained specialists have extra education and training in conditions that affect breathing and sleeping. We provide pulmonary education and rehabilitation to help ensure you’re up to the tasks you face each day. We offer:

Critical care for pulmonary conditions

Urgent and life-threatening lung conditions can be scary. Our critical care medicine physicians ensure you get the pulmonary care you need when you need it. Our physicians use intubation to provide lifesaving treatments during emergency situations and provide other critical interventional pulmonology services to restore breath function. Learn more about pulmonary disease diagnosis and treatment at Cleveland Clinic Florida.

Lung cancer screening

Our experts evaluate lung nodules to find lung cancers early, when they’re easier to treat. Through our lung cancer screening program, Cleveland Clinic Florida offers low-dose CT screening for eligible current and past smokers to determine lung cancer risk. Find out more about our lung nodules and lung cancer screening program.

Lung disease evaluation

When you have a cough that won’t go away or experience ongoing shortness of breath, we consider all possible lung conditions. Our pulmonology specialists collaborate with pathologists, radiologists, and cardiac and thoracic surgeons to get the answers you need so you can begin treatment. We also offer evaluations for genetic conditions that affect the lungs, such as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Pulmonary education and rehabilitation

When you have a lung condition, you might not know how to manage your symptoms. The Cleveland Clinic Florida pulmonary care team helps you understand how these conditions affect your lung health. Our experts work with you on:

Action plans to care for your pulmonary health.
At-home breathing exercises to help you get stronger.
Instruction in using inhalers to manage symptoms.
Programs to help you quit smoking.

Pulmonary function tests

Our pulmonary function laboratories use leading-edge equipment to measure lung volume and evaluate your breathing. Pulmonary function tests we offer include:

Exercise tests: Specialists have you do certain exercises and check how you respond. We may use a six-minute walk test to check your heart and lung function.
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing: We use cardiopulmonary exercise testing to determine how your lungs respond when you rest and while you exercise. This comprehensive, sophisticated test allows doctors to find the source of shortness of breath, even when other tests have failed.
Flight simulation testing: If you have certain lung conditions, our specialists may recommend tests to see if you need extra oxygen during air travel. We have you breathe a gas through a face mask to see how your lungs respond to decreased oxygen levels you may encounter while flying.
Methacholine challenge test: Experts have you inhale a drug (methacholine) that causes your airways to narrow. We use this test to see how your lungs react to stimuli and determine if you have asthma.

Pulmonary hypertension clinic

Cleveland Clinic Florida pulmonary experts work with you — and your primary care physician — to diagnose and manage pulmonary hypertension. Our specialists use advanced diagnostic tools and procedures to identify and evaluate this complex disease including:

Echocardiogram to measure blood flow in your heart and blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries.
Pulmonary angiogram to evaluate pulmonary arteries for obstructions that cause blood pressure to rise.
Right heart catheterization to measure pressure in the pulmonary arteries and the heart’s efficiency in pumping blood.

Our pulmonologists treat underlying lung diseases that cause pulmonary hypertension. Experts work with you on appropriate lifestyle changes to improve lung function. We provide advanced medical therapies, and educate you about treatment options and at-home strategies you can use to improve your lung health.

Treatment for Sleep Disorders

Cleveland Clinic Florida sleep medicine experts treat common sleep disorders that affect blood pressure, daytime wakefulness and nighttime breathing. We may recommend a sleep study at home or at our Sleep Disorders Centers to inform your personalized treatment plan. We treat conditions such as:

Abnormal movements during sleep (parasomnias and disruptive sleep disorders).
Dream enactment.
Central sleep apnea (airway is not blocked).
Insomnia.
Obstructive sleep apnea (airway is blocked).
Narcolepsy.
Snoring.

Our Doctors

Other Providers

To make an appointment with one of our advanced practice providers, please call:

Katarzyna Jimenez, ARNP – 877.463.2010
Teresa Palacios, APRN – 877.463.2010

Clinical Trials

Cleveland Clinic Florida's Department of Pulmonary Medicine is currently participating in multi-center Clinical Trials and conducting clinical research in: