Respiratory Medicine - C-Care Mauritius, The most caring medical experts

Respiratory Medicine

If you are suffering from lung problems, we know it is a very hard thing to live with. Your condition affects not just your lungs and bronchial tubes, but also the whole of your body.

You need help, as well as quality treatment. That’s why we are dedicated to provide personalised care for complex pulmonary problems. Our aim is to manage every aspect of treatment from diagnosis to follow-up care in order to make you breathe easier and live better.

Our Respiratory Care Unit treats patients suffering from acute respiratory failure (ARF) originally caused by respiratory disease and/or by acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory failure (CRF). The monitoring techniques usually employed are prevalently non-invasive, and “non-invasive” ventilation is the preferred option.

Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, especially those with chronic respiratory failure, may frequently require periods of intensive treatment, monitoring, nursing and, occasionally, ventilatory assistance in order to overcome acute exacerbations. Therefore, admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) is often needed to provide greater clinical control (constant monitoring of cardiovascular functions), ventilator support, if required, and most especially a greater level of nursing care.

Services

Asthma Care

Asthma is a common long-term condition that can affect people of all ages. Its symptoms are caused by inflammation, which makes the airways narrower and extra-sensitive to irritants, making breathing difficult. Allergens such as dust, cat or dog dander, pollen, tobacco and outdoor pollution can trigger asthma attacks. Asthma patients can opt for pulmonary tests to diagnose, estimate the severity and control the disease with the appropriate treatment. A well-conducted therapy, proper advice and education will help control the disease, improve the quality of life, and severe asthma crises.

Bronchiectasis Screening

Bronchiectasis describes the widening (“ectasis”) of some of the airways. This occurs in patches due to damage caused by infection. It prevents the effective clearance of mucus, which then increases the chances of further infection and inflammation. The smaller airways are thickened and narrowed due to inflammation and this leads to breathlessness. Maintain a clearance in airways, treat inflammation in airways, treat the infectious exacerbation as early as possible to help preserve the pulmonary function for longer.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Emphysema

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-term condition that causes inflammation in the lungs, damages lung tissue and causes narrowing of the airways, thus making breathing difficult. There are many different types of the condition. Sometimes, COPD does not present any symptoms for many years. Early diagnosis will help treat the patient before the disease worsens and results in respiratory insufficiency.

Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer is cancer of the trachea (windpipe), bronchus (airway) or lung air sacs (alveoli). Lung cancer was a rare disease at the start of the 20th century, but an increase in exposure to tobacco smoke and other triggers of the disease have contributed to a pandemic today. Early diagnosis increases the chance of curing the disease. Prevention is, of course, better than cure (never smoke or start smoking, avoid air pollution, occupational risks).

Pulmonary Fibrosis

Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILDs), also known as diffuse parenchymal lung diseases, result from damaged cells surrounding the alveoli (air sacs) leading to widespread inflammation and fibrotic scarring of the lungs. Estimation of the cause and the stage of the disease leads to better therapeutic management with oxygenotherapy when required.

Respiratory Screening

This screening is for patients who suffer from chronic cough and/or chronic mucus production, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing up blood, chronic chest pain or those who want to have a lung check-up.

Sleep Apnoea Syndrome

The term “sleep disorder breathing” refers to a range of conditions that result in abnormal breathing during sleep. The most common is sleep apnoea. Apnoea means a temporary pause in breathing. Although there are other types of apnoea, the term ‘sleep apnoea’ usually refers to obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), in which the individual is briefly unable to breathe due to temporary obstruction of the airway in the throat. Diagnosing and treating the sleep apnoea syndrome decreases the risk of cardiovascular events and stroke and improves the quality of life.

Smoking Cessation

We run a smoking cessation programme over 10 weeks, during which you will be looked after by our pulmonologist. During the programme, you will undergo carbon monoxide tests and your peak flow will be monitored.

To help you stop smoking, you may be prescribed medication.

Additional sessions with the neuropsychologist are also available.