Winchester Center for Lung Disease

Previously thought of as a childhood disease, cystic fibrosis (CF) is now considered a chronic disease because more adults in the US are living longer with CF and maintaining good quality of life. The Adult CF Program is accredited by the national CF Foundation. We provide team-based care for inpatient and outpatient adults with CF. Our comprehensive program includes diagnosis, treatment and counseling for sinus, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, liver, nutritional, endocrine, mental health and reproductive issues. In addition, the program is involved in cutting-edge clinical research.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease that blocks airflow from the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe. Patients with COPD may experience flare-ups that require hospitalization, leaving them feeling weak. The COPD Program (including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma/COPD overlap syndrome) provides a personalized treatment plan for each patient to help manage their COPD. Whether patients have mild symptoms, need rehabilitation or assisted ventilation, we can help. We also offer lung volume-reduction surgery or endobronchial valve placement to those who are eligible.
 

Emphysema is a form of chronic pulmonary disease, or COPD. When emphysema is severe, parts of the lungs become damaged, trapping air in the lungs causing diseased parts of the lungs to enlarge and put pressure on the healthy parts and diaphragm. This strain contributes to the feeling of shortness of breath when doing everyday activities. One of the treatments we offer for emphysema is an endobronchial valve placement where a tiny valve is placed in the airway to block a diseased part of the lung to help reduce hyperinflation. This helps the healthier part of the lungs to expand and lift pressure off the diaphragm, which decreases shortness of breath and makes breathing easier. 

This program is focused on the leading innovative care and research for acute and chronic pulmonary infections. We also focus on the evaluation and management of chronic non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (abnormal widening of the bronchi or their branches that can cause infection).

The Winchester Center for Lung Disease has grown and evolved into a destination regional referral center for primary and secondary opinions of unexplained respiratory symptoms such as cough, wheezing and shortness of breath, and complex pulmonary conditions. Our Program offers in-clinic, telehealth and e-consultations in collaboration with community physicians, primary care providers and other subspecialists to diagnose and manage a wide range of lung diseases. We work closely with the other subspecialty programs within our Center to ensure personalized care for our patients while training the next generation of clinical leaders in pulmonary medicine.

Yale New Haven Hospital offers unique care for individuals experiencing severe and lingering symptoms long after recovering from COVID-19. This condition is sometimes called long-haul COVID or long COVID. Patients who are referred by their primary care doctor or specialist to our Long COVID Program are evaluated by a team including an internist, a physical therapist, a social worker, and when appropriate a respiratory therapist to determine a tailored care plan.  Appointments are coordinated with specialists who work together to address the medical conditions that may require many different areas of medical expertise.

Learn more about Long COVID Program

Medical experts are seeing many survivors of COVID-19 who continue to experience respiratory and other symptoms well after their general recovery from the disease. In response to this problem, the Recovery Program was the first in Connecticut to offer multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment to people with persistent shortness of breath, difficulty with exercise and usual daily activities, cough and chest discomfort. Our Program is open not only to those who required hospitalization for their initial illness, but also those with milder disease who have gone on to experience persistent, chronic symptoms.

Since 2020, our pulmonary experts, physical therapists and social worker have worked closely with colleagues in neurology, cardiology, psychiatry and other medical specialties to provide personalized evaluation and treatment plans. Our Program also participates in clinical research aimed at better understanding how to address these challenging symptoms and we collaborate with similar clinics across the country.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with COVID-19, your primary care physician may refer you to a Yale New Haven Health facility for monoclonal antibody treatment.

Learn more about monoclonal antibody treatment

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a long-term condition caused by high pressure in the arteries of the lungs. This condition happens when the arteries tighten and become narrow, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood through the lungs. If left untreated, pulmonary hypertension can lead to heart failure. Early and proper diagnosis is essential to slow the disease and, in some cases, potentially reverse damage to the lungs. For pulmonary hypertension, we offer a variety of advanced medical and surgical therapies. Yale New Haven Hospital has a Pulmonary Hypertension Association-accredited Pulmonary Hypertension Care Center. In our comprehensive Pulmonary Vascular Disease (PVD) Program, we evaluate and treat not only pulmonary hypertension, but also blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), and unexplained chronic shortness of breath. Yale New Haven Hospital is the only hospital in Connecticut that can perform a curative surgical procedure -- pulmonary thromboendarterectomy -- for adults with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a potential complication from a pulmonary embolism. The PVD program participates in PH research with multiple, ongoing studies.

The Center’s Sleep Medicine program offers diagnostic testing and treatment for those unable to get a restful night sleep.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that usually affects the lungs. As a leading cause of infectious disease death around the world, TB is still a global health challenge. Fortunately cases of active, communicable TB have declined steadily in the US, though there are still thousands of cases of latent (hidden, suspended), non-communicable TB each year.

Yale New Haven Hospital’s Winchester Center for Lung Diseases’ Tuberculosis Clinic is the regional referral center. We receive referrals from physician offices, public health departments and occupational health programs at many worksites. We actively perform community outreach in the New Haven area, screening and evaluating those who are at increased risk for TB and have limited access to health care. Symptoms of active TB include unexplained fevers or weight loss, persistent cough and shortness of breath. We treat such cases with medications and evaluate hundreds of patients with latent TB infection each year.

Yale Center for Asthma and Airways Disease (YCAAD) treats patients who suffer from asthma and other chronic inflammatory airway diseases. These patients have chronic shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness and/or cough. Many people who visit the center have difficult-to-control asthma, chronic cough, bronchial disorders or Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) as well as asthma. Many patients have illnesses that worsen airway disease or symptoms that mimic airway disease such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sinusitis, vocal cord dysfunction and atopy (a genetic tendency toward allergic diseases).

This center specializes in diagnosing and treating difficult cases. We offer patients access to progressive treatments for asthma and research trials for therapies that are not available elsewhere.

Interstitial lung diseases can cause both lung inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) that can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Yale Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Center of Excellence, established in 1997 addresses the needs of patients suffering from these conditions. We have been a Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Center of Excellence since 2013, a Scleroderma Foundation Center of Excellence and a World Association of Sarcoidosis and other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG) Sarcoidosis Clinic.

The Center offers patients clinical expertise and support in multiple areas including treatment of complex lung diseases, the opportunity to participate in clinical studies to improve conditions and the chance to receive experimental therapy through clinical trials. We also conduct research into the causes and potential cures for ILD and offer education and support for patients, providers and caregivers.