Center of Pulmonology and Allergology

The Center of Pulmonology and Allergology of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos is a leader in Lithuania and is one of the best medical facilities of its kind in Europe. The center has all the equipment necessary (video bronchoscopes, rigid bronchoscopes, endobronchial ultrasound and biopsy equipment, pulmonary function testing equipment, assisted pulmonary ventilation devices, vital sign monitoring equipment, sleep apnea diagnostic equipment, etc.) and its staff has amassed a wealth of experience with diagnosing and treating pulmonary and allergic diseases.

The Center of Pulmonology and Allergology's physicians are pioneers and leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases in Lithuania. They work with interventional pulmonology (bronchoscopies, bronchoalveolar lavages, X-ray-guided bronchoscopic pulmonary biopsies, lug cryobiopsy, pulmonary abscess catheterization, respiratory airway stenting, pleural biopsies, pleural drainage, pleurodesis, etc.), intensive pulmonology (non-invasive pulmonary ventilation, etc.), ordinary pulmonology (including pulmonary growth chemotherapy and the treatment of pulmonary vasculitis, sleep apnea, pulmonary hypertension, and cystic fibrosis), allergology and immunology (allergic skin tests and provocational tests using allergens found in food, drugs, chemicals and the air, x-ray contrast agents, autologic serum tests, skin biopsies, peroral and subcutaneous specific immunotherapy, immunomodulatory allergic disease treatment, primary immunodeficiency diagnosis and treatment, etc.), so thoracic disease ultrasound diagnostics and ultrasound-guided interventional procedures are often applied. The Centre of Pulmonology and Allergology Vilnius University Hospital Santaros klinikos is one of the most experienced centers in Europe when it comes to the treatment and diagnosis of interstitial and rare pulmonary diseases, and it is the only center in Lithuania that is engaged in the thorough research of drug allergy problems and the causes of chronic urticaria.

Roughly 8,000 ambulatory patients receive consultation at the Center of Pulmonology and Allergology every year. The inpatient and outpatient centers test and treat about 2,000 patients a year. The Center of Pulmonology and Allergology carries out more than 3,000 interventional pulmonary diagnostic and treatment procedures; more than 8,000 various pulmonary function tests (including pulmonary capacity, gas diffusion, physical capacity and physical exertion provocation tests, physical capability evaluations for athletes, expert tests for confirming respiratory failure, and bronchial challenge tests using methacholine); and more than 300 iodine and peroral samples (for drug diagnosis) a year.

The centre is always engaged in scientific activity. The most important topics include interstital pulmonary diseases (sarcoidosis, idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, eosinophilic pneumonia, etc), pleural diseases (parapneumotic, malign, tuberculous and other types of pleuritis) research, drug allergies, chronic Urticaria, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and the pathogenesis, diagnosis, progression and treatment of pneumonia. The Center of Pulmonology and Allergology also regularly carries out both commercial (pharmaceutical company-funded) and non-commercial clinical trials. The workers at the center have completed 9 scientific doctors' dissertations, 2 habilitated scientific doctors' dissertations, and 1 habilitation process. One medical doctor's scientific dissertation is currently being prepared. Completed medical science doctoral dissertations include - “The pathogenetic and clinical aspects of penicillin allergies in patients suffering from non-specific pulmonary diseases” (Audra Blažienė, 1987), “The role of fungus in patients suffering from respiratory system allergosis” (Marius Zolubas, 1992), “Early diagnosis and correction of bronchial permeability disorders in the relatively healthy and in patients suffering from protracted acute bronchitis” (Remigijus Valdemaras Nargėla, 1993), “the comparison of methods for evaluating endobronchitis in patients suffering from chronic bronchitis” (Edvardas Danila,1999), “Evaluation of the quality of life of patients suffering from bronchial asthma” (Aleksandras Balbieris, 2001), “The diagnostic value of pleural fluid test methods” (Rolandas Zablockis, 2003), “Basophil CD63 marker test significance in drug allergy diagnosis” (Violeta Kvedarienė, 2008), “Diagnostic significance of autoreactive indicators for patients suffering from chronic urticaria” (Anželika Chomičienė, 2009), and “The effects of bronchial inflammation on pulmonary function in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases” (Virginija Šileikienė, 2013).

Completed habilitated medical science doctoral dissertations include - “Complex pathogenetic testing of various bronchial asthma tests” (Bronislovas Šatkauskas, 1991), (The evaluation of the functional condition of the respiratory system in individuals with heightened levels of motor activity” (Artūras Andžiulis, 2001). In 2009, Edvardas Danila completed the habilitation procedure with a thesis on “Evaluation of interstitial pulmonary disease diagnostic methods.”

The Center of Pulmonology and Allergology is always engaged in various levels of educational work. The Center of Pulmonology and Allergology at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, as a part of Vilnius University's Clinic of Chest diseases, Immunology and Allergology, is the main educational center for 3th- and 5th-year students. Students attend lectures and complete practical assignments on allergology, pulmonology and phthisiology. Every year, more than 250 Vilnius University Medical Faculty students study pulmonology and allergology at the center.

At the Centre of Pulmonology and Allergology, more than 100 physicians from various specialties raise their professional pulmonology and allergology qualifications every year. The center offers these qualification courses to physicians - “Relevant questions in pulmonology and allergology” (2 weeks), “Differential diagnosis and treatment of respiratory organ tuberculosis” (1 week), “Select pulmonological questions” (2 weeks), “Select pulmonological and thoracic surgery questions” (1 week), “Pulmonary and allergic disease pharmacotherapy” (1 week), “The diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases” (1 week).

Dozens of residents improve their skills at the center every year. Every year, 5-6 specialist physicians – pulmonologists, allergologists and clinical immunologists – complete their 4-year resident study programs at the center every year.