Leaders Treating Asbestos Exposure-related Diseases

Norton Pulmonary Specialists is a leader in treating lung diseases related to asbestos exposure for patients in Louisville and Southern Indiana.

The board-certified and fellowship-trained specialists at Norton Pulmonary Specialists have the experience and training to provide a precise diagnosis for asbestos exposure-related diseases and develop a customized treatment plan.

Asbestos exposure can lead to conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and mesothelioma. That’s why it’s important to work with specialists who have experience providing comprehensive testing and treatment for pulmonary diseases.

Norton Pulmonary Specialists physicians work together as a team to collaborate on your case. They also work with specialists across Norton Healthcare to collect viewpoints when necessary. Whether you need symptom management or aggressive treatment for cancer, we have the resources to give you comprehensive treatment.

Asbestos Exposure Symptoms

Asbestos exposure symptoms include:

• Dry cough or wheezing
• Chest pain or tightness
• Crackling sound when breathing
• Fluid in the space surrounding a lung
• Pleural plaques — deposits of thick fibrous tissue
• Pleural thickening
• Shortness of breath

Diagnostic tests include chest X-rays and a computed tomography (CT) scan to detect any pleural plaques. Pleural plaques are benign and usually show up decades after exposure.

A pulmonary function test, such as spirometry, shows how well your lungs inhale and exhale.

Care That’s Convenient for You

• Norton Pulmonary Specialists is recognized by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association as an accredited Pulmonary Hypertension Care Center — the only one in Kentucky. This distinction highlights our physicians’ expertise in pulmonary hypertension, especially pulmonary arterial hypertension, and their commitment to improving care and outcomes for patients with this life-threatening condition.
• Our staff includes interventional pulmonologists who are trained and experienced in minimally invasive diagnostics and treatment, including robotic-assisted bronchoscopy, meaning you’ll have access to advanced technology for your care.
• We have seven convenient Louisville-area locations: Northeastern Louisville, downtown Louisville, Newburg, Pleasure Ridge Park and Mount Washington, Kentucky; in Southern Indiana, Jeffersonville and Scottsburg.
• We provide pulmonary care and respiratory management of critical care patients at Norton Audubon Hospital, Norton Brownsboro Hospital and Norton Hospital.
• Norton Healthcare’s pulmonary rehabilitation program has three locations in Louisville and is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
• We work as a team with referring physicians, including pediatricians.
• Medicare, Medicaid and most major commercial insurance plans are accepted.

About Norton Pulmonary Specialists

The board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians with Norton Pulmonary Specialists are leaders in caring for Louisville and Southern Indiana patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and other lung diseases.

• More than two dozen board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians with extensive experience specialize in diagnosis and management of all forms of lung diseases and sleep disorders, so you can get the care you need.
• The Norton Pulmonary Specialists team pursues leading-edge treatments, and our specialists are investigators on many clinical trials that give patients access to the latest treatments.
• Our specialists use robotic-assisted bronchoscopy to perform minimally invasive biopsies of the lung, which allows for greater precision during the important diagnostic procedure.  
• Norton Pulmonary Specialists is accredited by the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
• Our providers will give you a precise diagnosis and develop a customized treatment plan for your lung condition, so you can get back to living your best life.
• For asthma, your physician will work with you to develop a written asthma action plan to help you manage your symptoms.
• Medicare, Medicaid and most major commercial insurance plans are accepted.
• Communicate with your provider, manage appointments, refill prescriptions and more anytime from a computer or mobile device with a free Norton MyChart account.
• Norton Pulmonary Specialists is the only site in Kentucky accredited by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association as a Center for Comprehensive Care.