Clinical Training
Advanced Diagnostic Bronchoscopy
Fellows will learn linear and radial endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), navigation bronchoscopy, robotic-assisted/navigation bronchoscopy, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS-B) for the diagnosis of lung nodules/masses and intrathoracic adenopathy.
Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Program
IP fellows will participate in a weekly thoracic tumor board and multidisciplinary lung cancer clinic. This involves regular collaboration with thoracic surgery, interventional radiology, radiation oncology, hematology/oncology, pathology, and thoracic radiology. IP is actively involved in multiple ongoing clinical trials evaluating various treatment modalities including chemotherapy and targeted therapy. We are also exploring novel therapeutic agents delivered bronchoscopically.
Complex Airways Disease Program
UCLA is a local, regional, and national referral center for patients with both benign and malignant airways diseases. We provide training in the following procedures: rigid and flexible bronchoscopy, thermal ablation (argon plasma coagulation, Nd:YAG laser, electrocautery), cryotherapy (contact and spray), balloon bronchoplasty, and airway stenting. Uniquely, we regularly collaborate with radiation oncology to perform endobronchial brachytherapy.
Advanced Lung Diseases
UCLA is the busiest thoracic transplant center in the West and second busiest in the country. Additionally, we have an integrated, multidisciplinary regional referral center for the evaluation and treatment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Thus, IP fellows will receive extensive training in the evaluation and management of transplant patients, the treatment of airway complications, as well as cryobiopsy for evaluation of ILD. Fellows will also perform bronchocopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves as well as bronchial thermoplasty.
Pleural Disease
The IP service is integral to the management of pleural diseases at both UCLA SM and RR. We perform pleuroscopy, tunneled pleural catheter placement, chest tube placement (both surgical and pigtail), ultrasound-guided thoracentesis, and pleurodesis.
Tracheostomy and PEG
IP regularly performs both percutaneous tracheostomies as well as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placements in the ICU.