Breath work
A Respiratory Medicine podcast for busy respiratory nerds who want to keep up-to-date with the constantly evolving world of the lung. Every month we...
Inspire: Dr Breda Cushen on setting up a new service (Part 1)
In this episode we speak to Dr Breda Cushen, Consultant Respiratory Physician in
Beaumont hospital. Breda came back to Ireland less than 5 years ago after working as a
consultant in the NHS. We discuss some of what Breda has achieved in these first few
years, from virtual ward proof of concept projects to the minutiae of starting a severe COPD
clinic. But also how she juggles it all and tips for others.
Chapters
0.55min Intro to Dr Breda Cushen
1.40min ITS annual scientific meeting 2024 take-home messages
3.48min Career starting out
6.44min Developing a severe COPD clinic
12.05min Behind the scenes preparation
15.45min Other services built around the severe COPD clinic
17.59min Advice for others starting a service
19.55min Virtual wards proof of concept project
25.28min Juggling it all
Show notes
Virtual wards HSE https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/strategic-programmes-office-
overview/national-virtual-ward-programme/
Access recordings and abstracts from previous ITS meetings https://irishthoracicsociety.com/about-us/its-scientific-meeting/
National Clinical Programme (NCP) Respiratory https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/ncps/ncpr/
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31:03
Breathwork: Update on diagnosis and management of Pneumothorax 2025 (Part 2)
This week we speak again to Dr Deirdre Fitzgerald on pneumothorax. We cover it all; the typical presentation, the diagnosis, categories of pneumothorax and management updates in the last 12 months. We discuss trends in the field of pleural disease and what to expect with respect to
changes in guidelines in the coming years.
Chapters
00.45 Introduction
01.00 Rapid fire round
01.50 Diagnosis of pneumothorax
02.30 Tests to do at presentation/ prior to referral
05.25 Initial management; does the size of the pneumothorax matter?
08.00 Conservative management of pneumothorax; the evidence
09.00 Medical management of pneumothorax
12.18 Chest drain specifics
15.28 Suction; the evidence
17.03 Removing the chest drain
17.38 Surgical management
19.08 Post pneumothorax guidance
21.23 Pitfalls in management of pneumothorax
22.28 Recent breakthroughs in pneumothorax management
Show notes
ERS 2024 guidelines on spontaneous pneumothorax https://publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/63/5/2300797
High flow oxygen papers https://www.bmj.com/content/4/5779/86,
https://karger.com/res/article-abstract/44/2/147/286426/Noninvasive-Treatment-of Pneumothorax-with-Oxygen?redirectedFrom=fulltext
BTS pleural guidelines 2023 https://thorax.bmj.com/content/78/11/1143
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24:31
Inspire: Dr Deirdre Fitzgerald with the insight scoop into the new HSE Integrated Care Model (Part 1)
Description
In our first episode of 2025 we speak to Dr Deirdre Fitzgerald, Consultant Respiratory Physician in Tallaght University Hospital. Deirdre splits her time between a tertiary hospital and community integrated care hub. In this episode she talks us through the integrated care model, setting up a pleural and new innovations she has brought into all aspects of her practice.
Chapters
00.42 Introduction to Dr Deirdre Fitzgerald
01.33 Career path in Ireland
03.30 Fellowship in Perth, Australia
08.30 New consultant life
12.12 Management skills
15.20 Setting up a service
17.15 The community integrated care program
21.45 HSE Community hubs
22.10 Innovation in healthcare
24.48 Top tips for trainees
Show notes
Integrated care overview: https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/icp/
A guide for referral to Integrated care specialist services: https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/icp/chronic-disease/a-guide-for-referral-of-patients-to-the-chronic-disease-ambulatory-care-hub-services.pdf
Innovations: https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/our-health-service/making-it- better/deirdre-seeks-to-improve-patient-care-through-innovation-at-tallaght-hospital.html
Handheld ultrasound devices: https://www.butterflynetwork.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorQlIy9yP57vpTcQsFn7745-VmB6MwFdTvTd0WGSXMigfj32SvQ
Lumen: https://lumen5.com/user/marissaocallaghan/untitled-video-qees0/
Dr Brian Kent covers the key information to be included in your sleep apnoea referrals and also key components of investigation and management of obstructive sleep apnoea. He also describes the advances in technology, wearables and medical treatment coming down the line.
Tirzepatide in OSA NEJM paper: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2404881
CPAP in OSA: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1606599
https://thorax.bmj.com/content/61/5/430.long
Con/pro debate for asymptomatic patients with OSA
Pro: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6395978/
Con: https://publications.ersnet.org/content/breathe/15/1/11
Non-CPAP therapies in OSA: https://publications.ersnet.org/content/errev/30/162/210200
Lumen post: https://lumen5.com/user/marissaocallaghan/bk-breath-work-trail-fiig4/
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28:42
Inspire: Your cue to get involved in European societies with Dr Brian Kent (Part 1)
This week, we speak with Dr Brian Kent, Consultant Respiratory physician in St James's Hospital, Dublin. Brian shares his experience as chief editor of Breathe, the clinical educational journal of the European Respiratory Society with insider tips and advice on how to successfully submit to a journal.
ERS Breathe: https://publications.ersnet.org/content/breathe
Breathe instructions for authors: https://publications.ersnet.org/authors/breathe/instructions
A gin guide. Avoid a faux pas: https://www.theginguide.com/
Lumen post: https://lumen5.com/user/marissaocallaghan/bk-inspire-trailer-cxi4m/
Breath work
A Respiratory Medicine podcast for busy respiratory nerds who want to keep up-to-date with the constantly evolving world of the lung. Every month we speak with respiratory experts on their areas of special interest.
Our goal is to provide YOU with interactive and easy to listen to clinical updates. We will cover presentation, clinical reasoning, diagnostics and treatments but also new and exciting changes coming down the line. Delivered at a time convenient to you in 20-30 minute episodes.
Inspire
Meet your Respiratory Medicine heroes and hear how they got to where they are today. There are now more people than ever working in the respiratory medicine sphere. In this podcast we speak to Physicians, scientists, nurses, physiologists and more. We learn about their career paths to date, how they have achieved such success and advice for others hoping to follow suit. Some of these discussions are profession specific, but much of the advice is applicable to anyone trying to progress in their career.
Social Media
Website: https://irishthoracicsociety.com/
X/Twitter: irishthoracicS
LinkedIn: Irish Thoracic Society
Instagram: Irishthoracicsociety