Specialized medical services

We provide medical treatment for respiratory diseases in general. These are a broad range of diseases which include (1) malignant tumors of the respiratory system (lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma, thymoma, thymic carcinoma, etc.), (2) interstitial pneumonia (idiopathic, drug-induced, collagen disease, etc.), (3) obstructive pulmonary disease (asthma, COPD, etc.), (4) respiratory infections (acute, chronic), (5) airway diseases (bronchiectasis, obstructive bronchiolitis, etc.), (6) diffuse rare lung diseases (sarcoidosis, alveolar proteinosis, lymphangiomyomatosis, etc.), (7) pulmonary vascular disease (pulmonary embolism, Osler disease, pulmonary hypertension, etc.). According to surveys by international organizations, lung cancer, COPD and respiratory infections are expected to be serious health problems in society decades from now. Meanwhile, the practice of respiratory medicine has recently been transformed, such as molecular targeting agents and immunotherapy for lung cancer, and new drug development for interstitial pneumonia and rare lung diseases. In the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases, which will be of increasing importance in the future, we hope to rapidly incorporate evidence from Japan and abroad to provide the latest and most promising treatments, at the same time practicing medicine carefully with consideration of safety. Also, in our role as a regional university hospital, we would like to receive patients who are difficult to diagnose or difficult to treat for diagnosis and treatment.

Features

At the respiratory center (established in April 2012), a unified treatment policy as the Osaka University hospital respiratory group was decided together with General Thoracic Surgery, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Radiotherapy, nurses and physical therapists, and we strive to conscientiously provide treatment that is faster, higher quality and safer. However, among respiratory diseases, there are still those of which the cause is unknown and therapy has not yet been established. We are also actively involved in clinical research and clinical trials, and we would like to work to create new evidence. In recent years, we have established a network for studying interstitial pneumonia with major respiratory care facilities in Osaka Prefecture. In addition, since our hospital was designated a Cancer Genome Core Hospital, we have been actively practicing genome medicine for malignant tumor cases.

Considerations in referring your patients to Respiratory Medicine

The Respiratory Center has established a first visit outpatient time (morning examination) every day so that we can see patients who have been referred to us with a shorter waiting time. The medical institution that is the source of the referral should inform the Patient Support Center of this hospital of the referral information and make a reservation. If there are any abnormal chest image findings, please have the patient bring the past images or the findings together with the letter of referral. However, if a case has been diagnosed and treatment has been stabilized, the patient may be asked to continue treatment at the referral source or a nearby clinic.