The Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Division provides consultative care for an average of 12 inpatients and 60-70 outpatients per week. We are the only academic pediatric pulmonary group within a 500-mile radius.
Pulmonary Function Tests
The division has a large two-room, accredited pediatric pulmonary function laboratory at Intermountain’s Primary Children’s Hospital and a one-room facility at Primary Children’s Outpatient Services at Riverton. These facilities perform a variety of pulmonary function testing in children including:
- Spirometry
- Lung volume measurement
- Post-bronchodilator testing
- Exhaled nitric oxide measurement
- Maximal respiratory pressure assessment
- Methacholine bronchoprovocation challenges
- 6-minute walk test
- Sputum induction
- Exercise challenge studies
The PFT labs typically perform more than 2200 studies per year.
In addition, the division staffs an accredited pediatric sleep laboratory with three testing rooms. This lab routinely performs more than 600 pediatric polysomnograms (overnight sleep studies) per year.
Subspecialty Clinics
Subspecialty clinics in which pediatric pulmonary participates include:
- Cystic Fibrosis Clinic
- Asthma Clinic
- General Pulmonary Clinic
- Trach-Vent Clinic
- Sleep Clinic
- Aerodigestive Clinic
Cystic Fibrosis Clinic
The Cystic Fibrosis Clinic evaluates approximately 250 children with cystic fibrosis in Utah, and surrounding states, and is one of the larger cystic fibrosis clinics in the country. In addition, children seen at the University of Utah Cystic Fibrosis clinic have some of the best pulmonary function test values in the United States. Children are typically evaluated every three months in this clinic.
Sleep Clinic
The Sleep Clinic manages a comprehensive array of respiratory and non-respiratory sleep disorders. The clinic is staffed by two sleep fellowship trained physicians and a psychologist. The Trach-Vent clinic is offered monthly and manages over 100 tracheotomized and ventilated patients with a wide variety of pathology. This multidisciplinary clinic is staffed by faculty from Otolaryngology, Pediatric Rehab and Pulmonology. Patients are seen based on their medical need and summaries are sent to their primary care physician.
General Pulmonary Clinic
The General Pulmonary Clinic receives a large number of referrals from a wide geographic catchment area. Referrals include common and rare airway as well as pulmonary pathologies. Patients include those with asthma, chronic lung disease, recurrent pneumonia, chronic cough and neuromuscular issues.
Aerodigestive Clinic
The Aerodigestive Clinic is known for its unique, comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to evaluating and caring for chronically ill children with complex airway, pulmonary, and upper digestive tract problems. The core team comprises of four faculty members from three divisions namely Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Pediatric Otolaryngology/head Neck Surgery and Pediatric Gastroenterology.
Pediatric residents, pediatric categorical residents, and medical students rotate through pulmonary electives and selectives throughout the year with the pediatric pulmonary faculty. This experience includes both inpatient and outpatient evaluation of patients with pulmonary and sleep issues.
