HLA Mediterráneo Hospital acquires a new world-leading pulmonary function test system

HLA Mediterráneo Hospital in Almería has taken a new step forward in the diagnosis and monitoring of respiratory diseases thanks to the acquisition of the new Vyntus ONE pulmonary function system, a cutting-edge technology used in the world's leading hospitals in respiratory diseases and which, in Andalusia, was only available in Seville. 

Up until now, patients at HLA Mediterráneo Hospital who required certain advanced functional tests had to be referred to other centres. However, with the centre's investment in state-of-the-art equipment, patients no longer have to make those trips, providing more efficient and accurate care. 

Comprehensive assessment of lung function

Developed by the prestigious German manufacturer Jaeger, the Vyntus ONE system enables a comprehensive assessment of lung function, meeting the highest international standards of diagnostic quality. This equipment, currently used in leading hospitals worldwide, enables tests such as spirometry, plethysmography and diffusing capacity (DLCO) to be performed with optimal reliability and in less time. 

The key benefits of the new system include a thorough and highly accurate respiratory diagnosis; greater patient comfort with briefer and more efficient examinations; the integration of its software with the HLA Group's Green Cube electronic medical record system, which enables a reduction in errors and improves the traceability of stored information; and compliance with the international standards for spirometry of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS). 

Dr. Joaquín Vizcaí Joaquín Vizcaíno Ricomá, a specialist in the area of Pneumology at HLA Mediterráneo Hospital, stresses that "the current recommendations for the use of body plethysmography, according to the ATS and ERS guidelines, include the confirmation, quantification and monitoring of pulmonary restriction, as found in fibrosis or diffuse interstitial lung disease, and also lung hyperinflation and air trapping, especially in patients with a dyspnoea that is not proportionate  to the degree of obstruction measured by FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second), such as in COPD or asthma".   

Furthermore, plethysmographies are indicated for preoperative assessment in lung volume reduction surgery, monitoring and surveillance of diseases for clinical or research purposes (e.g. lung cancer or emphysema), assessment of patients with suggestive functional respiratory patterns during spirometry, and the study of unexplained dyspnoea or exercise intolerance.

On the other hand, the Vyntus ONE technology, unlike other plethysmographs, has an open design that eliminates one of the main access barriers that some patients may encounter, without compromising the quality and safety of the test. "We can use it in patients who were previously excluded because of claustrophobia, motor disability, presence of tubes, tracheostomies, medical devices, or with oxygen therapy that excluded the possibility of disconnection," says Dr. Vizcaíno. However, as he points out, body plethysmography is not appropriate for all patients, subject to consultation with their medical specialist, who will judge whether this type of test can be safely performed. 

Some examples of the broad functionality of the new lung function system are related to conditions such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma, in which the plethysmograph can reveal an increase in residual volume, as well as changes in total lung capacity. Also, in diffuse interstitial lung diseases (pulmonary fibrosis), where changes in the carbon monoxide diffusion test, which are undetectable by any other technique, can be seen. "Spotting these abnormalities in their first stages enables early treatment to be initiated, improving the course of the disease and the patient's quality of life," concludes the pulmonologist.