New Sleep and Breathing Disorders Center at UT Southwestern

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New Sleep and Breathing Disorders Center at UT Southwestern

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=34213

UT Southwestern Medical Center has assembled a comprehensive team of

experts in pulmonary medicine, neurology, psychiatry, pediatrics,

otolaryngology, surgery and rehabilitation medicine to work together

in a new Sleep and Breathing Disorders Center.

The 6,000-square-foot center, located on the Professional Building

2's second floor, is one of the first in the Southwest to encompass

the management of all sleep problems and breathing difficulties due

to neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders in adults, including

snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy,

circadian rhythm disorders and parasomnias, which include

sleepwalking and night terrors.

Up to 70 million people suffer sleep problems, including roughly 40

million who have chronic sleep disorders. The American Academy of

Sleep Medicine reports that most people affected aren't aware that

they have a disorder and many fail to seek treatment.

" Our broad-based approach ensures that each patient receives a

comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan to address

his or her particular need, " said Dr. Nilesh Davé, medical director

of the new center. " Our management strategies take into

consideration the severity of symptoms, the patient's lifestyle and

the specific goals of therapy. No matter what sleep or breathing

problem you have, our philosophy is to provide long-term care, which

is especially important for patients with sleep apnea. "

Dr. Davé, assistant professor of internal medicine, has training in

critical care and pulmonary medicine. His clinical interests include

obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome

and narcolepsy. His laboratory has investigated the association

between sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease. Dr.

Davé is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and sits

on its Clinical Practice Review Committee, which develops and

publishes practice guidelines for a variety of sleep disorders.

With the expertise of Dr. ph Viroslav, a pulmonologist and

clinical professor of internal medicine, and Wilma Breaux, a

registered respiratory therapist, the breathing disorders program

focuses on assessing individuals with respiratory insufficiency due

to diseases such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral

sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, post-polio syndrome and scoliosis.

The program's goals are to maintain patient autonomy, to reduce

repeated hospital visits due to respiratory failure, and to empower

patients and their families to lead as normal a life as possible.

Six specially designed rooms are available for Sleep and Breathing

Disorders Center physicians and staff to conduct in-house sleep

studies to diagnose and evaluate these disorders. In addition, the

center features the latest, state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques

and treatment equipment, including:

Polysomnograms - These devices are used for overnight sleep studies,

in which sensors are attached to the head, face, chest and legs.

These sensors chart brain waves, heart rhythms, breathing, eye and

leg movements, even muscle tension. The results can help doctors

determine the problem while also eliminating which issues can be

ruled out.

Continuous and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP and BPAP,

respectively) machines - These devices are considered the initial

and often best treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in

which the patient awakens hundreds of times during the night due to

inadequate air flow. The CPAP device ensures a steady stream of

pressurized air to the sleep apnea patient through a specially

fitted mask. The continuous air flow keeps the back of the throat

open, eliminates episodes of inadequate air flow, and helps the

patient regain good quality sleep. BPAP machines - used for patients

who find it easier to exhale against a lower air flow - have two

different pressures. One pressure is slightly higher and it is

maintained on the inhalation, then the pressure drops to a lower

pressure on the exhalation. Other assisted-breathing devices include

cough-assist devices, intermittent positive-pressure breathing

devices, noninvasive nighttime ventilation and home ventilation

systems with prefabricated and (in special circumstances) custom-

fabricated masks to use with noninvasive ventilation, such as the

strapless oral nasal interface mask.

Light therapy - This is used to reset the body's internal clock for

a patient experiencing circadian rhythm problems and seasonal

affective disorder.

Medications and behavioral therapies - These include changing

dietary and nutritional habits or chronotherapy (altering bedtime)

and are among treatments that can help people who are having trouble

with insomnia.

Surgeries - These are performed in some instances to widen a

patient's airway through the removal of excess tissue in the throat.

" Sleep disorders can wreak havoc on people's lives, " said Dr.

Davé. " Poor sleep not only affects performance and behavior at

school, work and home, but it also has been tied to other health

issues such as obesity and high blood pressure. "

http://www.utsouthwestern.org/