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Description

What is Respiratory Medicine?
Respiratory medicine is the branch of medicine that treats people with diseases affecting the lungs.
The role of our lungs is to deliver oxygen into our bloodstream and remove carbon dioxide.  When you breathe in, air passes through the throat into the windpipe (trachea). The base of the windpipe divides into the right and left tubes (bronchi) which divide again and again each time getting smaller and smaller until the air sacs called the alveoli are reached. The alveoli act like balloons i.e. when you breathe in they inflate and when you breathe out they relax.
Oxygen moves across the walls of the alveoli and enters the bloodstream and is carried to the rest of the body after passing through the heart. Carbon dioxide is passed from the blood into the alveoli and is breathed out of the lungs.
 
Common symptoms or signs of lung disease include: shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, coughing up blood, and chest discomfort.
 
www.virtualrespiratorycentre.com is a comprehensive respiratory website for patients, public and health professionals. Please click on the link to visit the site.

Consultants

Hours

Wed 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Referral Expectations

Your GP will refer you to us if they are concerned about your lungs or breathing and want a specialist opinion. 
 
Recommendations and options regarding your diagnosis and treatment plan will be discussed with you and a letter will be sent to your GP with a copy to you, if you wish.

You need to bring to your appointment:
  1. a referral letter from your doctor (can also be faxed)
  2. any X-rays, CT (computer tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) films and reports
  3. all medicines you are currently taking, including inhalers, herbal and natural remedies
  4. your pharmaceutical entitlement card.

If you have any change in your condition before you come to your appointment, please see your GP immediately.

Common Conditions / Procedures / Treatments

  • Asthma

    Asthma symptoms include coughing, wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest and difficulty in breathing.… More

  • Chronic Cough

    Cough is a defensive, protective reflex. It may signal the presence of a problem in the respiratory system and may serve to eliminate the condition which is stimulating the cough, as occurs with an infection in the lower airways.… More

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

    This term is used to describe lung disease where the breathing tubes become blocked and the surrounding tissue and air sacs inside the lungs become damaged.… More

  • Lung Cancer

    This is when abnormal "malignant" cells divide and grow in an uncontrolled fashion in the lung tissue.… More

  • Lung Function Tests

    You may be advised to take lung function tests to find out how much air moves in and out as you breathe.… More

  • Spirometers

    Spirometry is a test which measures the speed at which your lungs can be filled and emptied of air.  It can be used to diagnose problems of breathing and monitor the usefulness of treatment.… More

  • Peak Flow Meter

    This is a small hand-held tube that can measure what is happening in your breathing tubes.  You can have one at home and measure your peak flow by blowing into it as hard and fast as possible.  You will be shown how to measure it and compare it with what… More

  • Chest X-ray

    A chest X-ray is normally undertaken to check the chest wall, lungs and heart.… More

  • Computer Tomography (CT) Scan

    With CT you can see much more detail than with a normal X-ray.… More

  • Fine Needle Aspirate

    Depending on what is seen on the CT scan an additional test can be done where a fine needle is inserted into your chest into the cancer and some cells sucked up into the needle.  This is done while taking pictures with the CT scanner to guide the doctor as… More

  • Bronchoscopy

    During this test a thin fibreoptic tube is inserted into your breathing tubes, through the nose, to view the tubes and take a biopsy (remove cells or tissue) to see if there are cancer cells present.… More

  • Expired Nitric Oxide

    This is a test performed on your breath whilst breathing out.… More

  • Induced sputums

    This is a method of extracting cells from your breathing tract.… More

Charges

Initial consultation $450.00

Public Transport

The Auckland Transport website is a good resource to plan your public transport options.

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Contact Details

Auckland Surgical Centre

Central Auckland

Phone (09) 925 4700
Fax (09) 925 4718
Email asc@southerncrosshospitals.co.nz
All queries to reception at the Hospital

Surgeons can be contacted at their private consultation rooms.

Suite 1
Auckland Surgical Centre
9 St Marks Road
Remuera
Auckland

Information about this location

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Street Address

Suite 1
Auckland Surgical Centre
9 St Marks Road
Remuera
Auckland

Postal Address

Auckland Surgical Centre
9 St Marks Rd
Remuera
AUCKLAND

This page was last updated at 2:15PM on January 15, 2020. This information is reviewed and edited by John Kolbe - Respiratory Medicine.