Media Release

Udupi, May 15: Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal, marked a significant advancement in pulmonary diagnostics with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art body plethysmograph. The facility was formally inaugurated jointly by D Padmaraj Hegde, former dean of KMC Manipal and Dr Anand Venugopal, COO, teaching hospital, MAHE in the presence of Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent, Kasturba Hospital, Anandhkumar K, regional sales manager at Schiller Healthcare India Pvt Ltd, and Dr Manu Mohan K, professor and head of the department of respiratory medicine along with senior doctors of the department were present.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Padmaraj Hegde emphasized the clinical relevance of the new diagnostic equipment. “Body plethysmography is a comprehensive investigative tool vital in the diagnosis and follow-up of chronic respiratory disorders such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, and interstitial lung disease (ILD). It supports both outpatient and inpatient care,” he noted. He also highlighted its potential role in clinical research and trials, describing it as a valuable addition to the institution’s academic infrastructure.

Providing further insights into the technology, Dr Manu Mohan K explained, “While traditional spirometry measures ventilatory function and Diffusing Capacity of the Lungs for Carbon Monoxide (DLCO) testing evaluates gas diffusion, these methods cannot measure certain critical parameters such as residual volume and total lung capacity (TLC). The newly installed plethysmograph addresses this gap by allowing for sequential measurement of spirometry, TLC, and DLCO—all in a single session.” He also underlined the machine’s utility in preoperative pulmonary assessments, particularly in patients undergoing lung surgery.

This cutting-edge diagnostic tool is the first of its kind in coastal Karnataka, setting a new benchmark in respiratory care and research facilities in the region.