Pulmonology

At Ozarks Healthcare, we are proud to offer a state-of-the-art Interventional Pulmonology Program, bringing world-class minimally invasive pulmonary care to the heart of the Ozarks. Our board-certified interventional pulmonologists are at the forefront of innovation, utilizing the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technologies to treat complex airway, pleural, and lung conditions. From robotic bronchoscopy and cone beam CT imaging to endoscopic lung volume reduction, our program is designed to deliver the highest level of precision care, close to home.


Our team collaborates in a multidisciplinary environment with thoracic surgery, medical oncology, and radiation oncology to provide personalized and coordinated treatment plans.

Convenient Care Close to You

Ozarks Healthcare's Heart and Lung Center houses Ozarks Healthcare's pulmonology services. 

Conditions We Treat

Your primary care doctor may refer you to a pulmonologist for specialized care of:

  • ION: Minimally
    Invasive Lung Biopsy

  • Asthma

  • Lung nodules and lung cancer

  • Emphysema and COPD

  • Pleural effusions (malignant and non-malignant)

  • Pleural tumors and pleurisy

  • Tracheal and bronchial stenosis

  • Tracheobronchomalacia and tracheomalacia

  • Spontaneous pneumothorax and persistent air leaks

  • Mediastinal lymphadenopathy

  • Foreign body aspiration

  • Airway tumors and obstructions

  • Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)

  • Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis

  • Tracheoesophageal fistula

  • Abnormal chest imaging or unresolved respiratory symptoms

What is ION?

Ion is used to perform robotic-assisted bronchoscopy. This system can reach all 18 segments of the lungs and be placed to obtain a biopsy. Ion is made by Intuitive, the pioneer in robotic-assisted surgery with da Vinci systems.

Advanced Procedures We Offer

Airway Interventions

  • Airway tumor ablation: Comprehensive tumor management using:
    • Microdebridement
    • Hot therapies: Argon plasma coagulation (APC), laser therapy, electrocautery, photodynamic therapy
    • Cold therapies: Cryotherapy
  • Tracheal and bronchial dilation (balloon or rigid)
  • Airway stenting: Placement of metallic and non-metallic (e.g., silicone) stents
  • Rigid bronchoscopy for complex airway procedures
  • Percutaneous tracheostomy and Montgomery T-tube placement
  • Endobronchial valve placement for both COPD (lung volume reduction) and air leak management
  • Steroid injection and Mitomycin-C administration to reduce scar formation

Advanced Diagnostic Techniques

  • Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy
  • Navigational bronchoscopy
  • Radial and linear endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) for peripheral nodules and lymph node sampling
  • Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) via the esophagus for mediastinal visualization and transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA)
  • Cone Beam CT: Advanced imaging to guide precision biopsies and therapeutic interventions
  • Transbronchial cryobiopsy for interstitial lung disease
  • Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for infection or inflammation

Pleural Disease Management

  • Ultrasound-guided thoracentesis and pleural manometry
  • Pigtail catheter and surgical chest tube placement
  • Tunneled pleural catheters (PleurX®, Rocket®)
  • Medical thoracoscopy / pleuroscopy with pleural biopsy and chemical pleurodesis
  • Whole lung lavage for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis

Screenings & Diagnostic Tests

Get a clear picture of your respiratory health with Ozarks Healthcare’s full range of medical tests.

Lung Cancer Screening

If you smoke or used to smoke, a lung cancer screening could save your life. This quick, simple imaging exam looks for early signs of cancer before you experience symptoms. Early detection means timely treatment and a better long-term outcome.

Pulmonary Function Tests

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) check how well your lungs work. They include:

  • Spirometry – Asks you to exhale into a mouthpiece so we can measure how much air your lungs hold
  • Lung volume testing – Measures how much air your lungs hold as well as the air remaining at the end of a breath
  • Diffusing capacity test – Determines how easily oxygen enters the bloodstream
  • Exercise testing – Assesses possible causes of shortness of breath

Bronchoscopy

Your doctor may want to perform a biopsy if an imaging test shows something unusual. The camera sends real-time images of the inside of your lungs to a large monitor in the exam room.

Sometimes, pulmonologists attach an ultrasound probe to the bronchoscope to provide additional information about your airways. This is an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) procedure.

Biopsies

If an imaging test shows something unusual, your doctor may want to perform a biopsy. This procedure removes a tiny sample of abnormal tissue for examination in a lab. A pulmonologist takes the tissue sample during a bronchoscopy, often using one of these types of advanced technology at Ozarks Healthcare for guidance:

  • Robotic equipment that helps doctors precisely reach tissue deep inside the lungs
  • Computerized navigation system that maps your airways and helps doctors precisely reach tumors that move as you breathe

Our technology means you get a timely, accurate diagnosis, so you can start treatment as soon as possible.

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Right Heart Catheterization

This test helps your doctor diagnose pulmonary hypertension—high blood pressure in your lung arteries. For this procedure, a doctor inserts a catheter (thin tube) into a vein and guides it through the right side of your heart and into the lungs. The catheter has a sensor that measures pressure and oxygen in your blood vessels.

Lung Treatments

Based on your diagnosis, health history and other factors, we’ll recommend a custom care plan to relieve your symptoms. Explore some of the treatment options available from Ozarks Healthcare.

Biologic Therapies for Asthma

If traditional medications don’t work well enough for your asthma, ask your pulmonologist about biologic therapies. Scientists create these newer types of drugs using living cells. Unlike other asthma drugs, biologic therapies:

  • Prevent symptoms rather than controlling or relieving them
  • Are given through either an injection or an intravenous (IV) infusion, usually once every two to eight weeks

Biologics may help you breathe easier with less reliance on inhalers.

Bronchial Thermoplasty for Asthma

Bronchial thermoplasty treats severe asthma when medications don’t offer enough relief. This procedure uses heat to shrink the smooth muscle in your airways so it can’t tighten and restrict breathing. That results in fewer asthma attacks and better symptom control.

Bronchial thermoplasty is an outpatient procedure, so you go home the same day as treatment.

Lung Reduction Valve for Emphysema

If you have severe emphysema, you have an alternative to invasive lung surgery: a lung reduction valve. This tiny device allows a one-way outward flow of air from damaged parts of the lung, keeping it deflated and letting healthy lung tissue work better. That means you may not need a lobectomy (surgery to remove the damaged part of the lung).

An Ozarks Healthcare pulmonologist places the valve using a bronchoscope—a thin tube with a light and camera inserted into your airways. The procedure doesn’t use incisions, so you won’t have a scar and will recover as quickly as possible.

You don’t have to travel far for this advanced treatment option. Ozarks Healthcare offers it in West Plains and is the only provider to do so in the area.

Pleural Effusion Treatment

Pneumonia, heart failure and other conditions can lead to pleural effusion or fluid buildup around your lungs. To treat pleural effusion, a pulmonologist may:

  • Perform thoracentesis, which uses a needle to drain the fluid over a period of about 15 minutes
  • Place a tube in your chest to drain fluid over several days

After treatment, you may feel less chest pain and breathe easier.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

If you live with a chronic lung condition, improve your quality of life with pulmonary rehabilitation. This guided exercise and education program helps you safely regain energy and stamina, so you can enjoy more of the activities you love.

Ask for a Referral

You’ll need a doctor’s referral for pulmonary services at Ozarks Healthcare. For more information, call 417-505-7856.

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