Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine

The Division of Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine adapted to the unexpected pandemic that engulfed us in 2020, and our team continued to provide safe and effective clinical care by embracing virtual care encounters and providing safe screening and testing of patients who needed our sleep or pulmonary function studies.

AERODIGESTIVE CLINIC

We continued our active participation in the multidisciplinary Aerodigestive Ambulatory Clinics at both our Hartford and Farmington locations with our colleagues in Pediatric Otolaryngology, Gastroenterology, and Speech Therapy.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS CENTER

Connecticut Children’s Central Connecticut Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Center continues to be one of the best in the country based on clinical outcomes of lung function, nutrition, and adherence to CF guidelines. CF newborn screening is mandated throughout the United States as early diagnosis is key to helping infants with CF do as well as possible. Our CF Center is the fastest in the country at screening, diagnosing, and then meeting with families to help provide the best possible care and to help during the difficult period when parents and families first learn about their child’s diagnosis.

INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE/PRIMARY CILIARY DISORDERS

In collaboration with our colleagues in Rheumatology, we see patients with interstitial and/or diffuse lung disease secondary to underlying rheumatologic conditions. We also are participating in the national Childhood Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease (chILD) network conferences. In collaboration with our colleagues in pediatric Hematology, we see sickle cell disease patients referred by Hematology for pulmonary evaluation and ongoing management. We have established and operationalized genetic testing through Invitae to allow for comprehensive diagnosis of primary ciliary disorders (PCD), and we see patients for diagnosis and management as per the PCD Foundation Guidelines.

SLEEP MEDICINE PROGRAM

We started a Multidisciplinary Combined Sleep Clinic, a collaboration with Otolaryngology providers, a sleep physician, and a sleep psychologist to take care of our most complicated patients. The clinic has been very well received by our patients and supported by them.

We continue to expand our presence in Fairfield County by adding time and sessions for patients and families in need of both behavioral sleep and sleep medicine services. We welcomed a new sleep provider, Sabina Ahmad, MD, who sees patients at our new Connecticut Children’s Specialty Care Center in Danbury. To add to our educational contributions and depth as a division, we added Pulmonary fellows to our clinic on a longitudinal basis to round out their Pulmonary and Sleep educational experience.

We continue to expand our teaching contributions with the new opportunity for medical students to rotate with our Sleep psychologist, in addition to rotating with our Sleep Medicine Physicians.

PUBLICATIONS

Gomes A, Lapin C, Ziegler J. Weight gain and growth after fundoplication in the pediatric patient: a case report in the pediatric patient with cystic fibrosis and literature review. Nutri Clin Pract. 2020; 01-10. PMID: 32141133.

BOOK CHAPTER

Bieniek JM, Lapin CD, Jarvi KA. Genetics of CFTR and male infertility. Translational andrology and urology. http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/tau.2020.04.05.

STAFF

MacDara Tynan, MD, MBA, Interim Division Chief Craig Schramm, MD, Emeritus Division Chief Sabina Ahmad, MD Mel Collins, MD, Director, Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Umit Emre, MD Jay Kenkare, MD, Director, Sleep Medicine Program Craig Lapin, MD, Director, CF Center Annie McLaughlin, MD Lynelle Schneeberg, PhD Natalie Shilo, MD

Tracy Allen, PA-C Rosalyn Bravo-Cavoli, APRN Amanda Filippelli, APRN Abby Theriaque, APRN