Emphysema Center - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Pulmonologist Doctors for EmphysemaType of Physician: Pulmonologist What is a Pulmonologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on diseases of the lungs and airways. The pulmonologist diagnoses and treats pneumonia, cancer, asthma, occupational diseases, sleep disorders, emphysema, and other complex disorders of the lungs. Pulmonologists evaluate lung function, examine the bronchial airways, and prescribe and monitor mechanical ventilation. Many pulmonary disease experts are also expert in critical care. Specialty: Pulmonary Disease Common Name: Lung Doctor Pulmonologist Doctors in Overland Park * Pulmonary Medicine Associates  Pulmonary Medicine Associates  Pulmonary Medicine Associates  Shawnee Mission Pulmonary Consultants PA  Pulmonary Medicine Associates  Shawnee Mission Pulmonary Consultants PA  Pulmonary Medicine Associates  Shawnee Mission Pulmonary Consultants PA  Shawnee Mission Pulmonary Consultants PA  Kansas Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists  Kansas Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists  Kansas Pulmonary & Sleep Specialists  I-635 Primary Care Specialists  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  KUMC Pulmonary Disease  K C Pulmonary Associates  K C Pulmonary Associates  Consultants in Pulmonary Medicine  Consultants in Pulmonary Medicine  Consultants in Pulmonary Medicine  Consultants in Pulmonary Medicine  Heartland Pulmonary & Internal Medicine  William M. Leeds DO  Kansas Sleep & Breathing Clinic PA  Stormont-Vail Healthcare Overland Park, KansasUpcoming Local Events2012-06-02
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EmphysemaIntroduction to emphysemaThe lungs are a pair of organs in the chest that are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. The lung is composed of clusters of small air sacs (alveoli) divided by thin, elastic walls or membranes. Capillaries, the tiniest of blood vessels, run within these walls between the alveoli and allow blood and air to come near each other. The distance between the air in the lungs and the blood in the capillaries is very small, and allows molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide to transfer across the membranes. Air reaches the alveoli via the bronchial tree. The trachea splits into the right and left mainstem bronchi, which branch further into bronchioles and finally ends in the alveolar air sacs. When we breathe in, air enters the lung and the alveoli expand. Oxygen is transferred onto hemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells to be transported to the rest of the body for use. As oxygen attaches to the red blood cell, carbon dioxide, the waste product of metabolism, detaches and crosses into the alveoli to be exhaled. When we breathe out, the alveoli get squeezed by the elasticity in their walls and air is pushed out of the lungs.
What is emphysema?Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lung(s) and occurs when the alveolar walls are destroyed along with the capillary blood vessels that run within them. This lessens the total area within the lung where blood and air can come together, limiting the potential for oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer. In early emphysema, there is associated inflammation of the small airways or bronchioles that limits the amount of air that can flow to the alveoli. In more severe emphysema, there is also loss of elasticity in the alveolar walls that have not been destroyed. When the patient breathes out, th... Recommended Reading Related to EmphysemaWhat is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome?Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are a group of disorders which share common features including easy bruising, joint hypermobility (loose joints), skin that stretches easily (skin hyperelasticity or laxity), and weakness of tissues. The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are inherited in the genes that are passed from parents to offspring. They are categorized according to the form of genetic transmission into different types with many features differing between patients in any given type. The fragile skin and loose joints is often a result of abnormal genes that produce abnormal proteins that confer an inherited frailty of collagen (the normal protein "glue" of our tissues). In 2001, researchers discovered a new form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome that is caused by an inherited abnormality in a protein other than collagen that also normally plays a role in binding together the cells of our tissues (including the skin, tendons, muscle... Other Related Emphysema ArticlesEmergency Contact for Overland Park
Nearby Overland Park Hospitals *Shawnee Mission Medical Center Specialty Hospital of Mid America Heartland Spine & Specialty Hospital Children's Mercy South Mid-America Rehabilitation Hospital Overland Park Regional Medical Center Select Specialty Hospital Kansas City Doctor's Hospital Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute St Joseph Medical Center Menorah Medical Center Kindred Hospital Kansas City Saint Luke's South Hospital University of Kansas Hospital & Medical Center Saint Luke's Hospital Rainbow Mental Health Facility Research Medical Center Select Specialty Hospital Western Missouri Research Psychiatric Center Children's Mercy Hospital & Clinics Truman Medical Center Hospital Hill Western Missouri Mental Health Center Kansas City VA Medical Center Crittenton Children's Center Two Rivers Psychiatric Hospital Providence Medical Center Olathe Medical Center North Kansas City Hospital Research Belton Hospital Truman Medical Center Lakewood Saint Luke's East Centerpoint Medical Center Saint Luke's Northland Hospital Barry Road Campus Children's Mercy Northland Lee's Summit Medical Center Meadowbrook Rehabilitation Hospital  St Mary's Medical Center  Liberty Hospital  Cushing Memorial Hospital  Saint John Hospital  VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System Leavenworth  Cass Regional Medical Center  Saint Luke's Northland Hospital Smithville Campus  Lawrence Memorial Hospital  Miami County Medical Center  Excelsior Springs Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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