Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a group of conditions that cause inflammation and scarring of the lungs.
Our ILD unit cares for 2,300 patients and takes referrals from across the United Kingdom and beyond.
Conditions under the ILD banner include:
- idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)
- sarcoidosis
- hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- connective tissue diseases (e.g. Rheumatoid or SLE)
- nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP)
- cystic lung diseases
Excellent, specialist care
The emphasis at Royal Papworth Hospital is on careful investigation, diagnosis and management of ILDs and this relies heavily on interactions from all members of the team including physicians, surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and administrators.
We work closely with our lung transplant colleagues and we are one of the few centres in the UK currently licensed to prescribe new antifibrotic medications for a group of our patients.
Advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques are available under our service. These include:
- endobronchial ultrasound
- bronchoscopy with high volume lavage
- transbronchial lung biopsy
- whole lung lavage
Diagnosing an interstitial lung disease
Royal Papworth Hospital provides a rapid access service whereby new patients undergo a full range of investigations including CT, bronchoscopy and lung function tests, often in a single day.
Results are collated and discussed by physicians, surgeons, specialist nurses, radiologists and pathologists at ILD multidisciplinary meetings before a management / treatment plan is enacted.