Emphysema Center - Smyrna, TN
Smyrna 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 Smyrna * Sleep Centers of Murfreesboro  Middle TN Ctr for Lung Disease  Middle TN Ctr for Lung Disease  Sleep Centers of Murfreesboro  Middle TN Ctr for Lung Disease  Cumberland Lung & Sleep Specialist  Cumberland Lung & Sleep Specialist  Mary McElaney MD  Mary McElaney MD  Cornerstone Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates PLLC  Williamson Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine  Williamson Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine  Hillsboro Medical Group at Vanderbilt  Nashville Medical Group  Mid State Pulmonary Associates  Mid State Pulmonary Associates  Mid State Pulmonary Associates  Nashville Medical Group  Mid State Pulmonary Associates  Mid State Pulmonary Associates  Mid State Pulmonary Associates  Nashville Lung Center  The Frist Clinic  The Frist Clinic  The Frist Clinic  Lung Consultants PLLC  Middle TN Hospitalists  Centennial Heart at Skyline  Middle TN Hospitalists  Middle TN Hospitalists  Middle TN Hospitalists  Centennial Heart at Skyline  Middle TN Hospitalists  Raymond L Fuller DO  Hendersonville Lung & Sleep Center  St Thomas Medical Group  St Thomas Medical Group  St Thomas Medical Group  St Thomas Medical Group  St Thomas Medical Group  Sumner Medical Group PLLC  Sumner Medical Group PLLC  The Lung Center  Eric A Lang MD  Dickson Medical Associates PC  Clarksville Medical Specialist  Clarksville Pulmonary & Critical Care  Highland Rim Respiratory Specialists  Upper Pulmonary Cumberland Group Smyrna, TennesseeUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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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 Smyrna
Nearby Smyrna Hospitals *StoneCrest Medical Center Alvin C York Veterans Affairs Medical Center Middle Tennessee Medical Center Southern Hills Medical Center Summit Medical Center Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute Williamson Medical Center Nashville Rehabilitation Hospital University Medical Center Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital Psychiatric Hospital At Vanderbilt Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville VA Medical Center Baptist Hospital McFarland Specialty Hospital Centennial Medical Center Parthenon Pavilion Metropolitan Nashville General Hospital Saint Thomas Hospital Skyline Madison Campus Skyline Medical Center Bordeaux Long Term Care Kindred Hospital Nashville Hendersonville Medical Center Stones River Hospital Heritage Medical Center Sumner Regional Medical Center Trousdale 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. |
Suggested Reading on Emphysema by Our Doctors
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