The history of Interventional Pulmonology begins in 1897, when Gustav Killian a laryngologist at Freiburg University in Germany removed a foreign body from an airway. Professor Killian’s work in “bronchoscopy” demonstrated the flexibility of the trachea and the ability to work safely within the airway. The tool that Professor Killian used was the original rigid bronchoscope. A tool we still use today. Bronchoscopy was brought to the United States from Europe in 1898 by A. Coolidge at the Massachusetts General Hospital. It was in 1907 though that Chevalier Jackson, in Philadelphia Pennsylvania began his addition to the field of bronchoscopy by developing and improving the instruments for bronchoscopy and esophagoscopy. Chevalier Jackson is recognized as the ‘father of American bronchoesophagology’.

Bronchoscopy was introduced to Japan in 1907. It was here that Shigeto Ikeda developed the glasfiber illumination for the rigid bronchoscope in 1962. In the spring of 1964, Shigeto Ikeda approached Machida Endoscope Company to produce a prototype of what was to be the first flexible bronchoscope. This first prototype for a bronchofiberscope was made by Olympus Optical Company in 1966. In the fall of 1968, three new commercial bronchofiberscopes became available. Shigeto Ikeda spoke in September of 1968 at the National Institute of Health in the USA introducing the bronchofiberscope. In 1970, he offered the technique to the staff at Mayo Clinic.

Flexible bronchoscopy began at Henry Ford Hospital in 1971. Dr. Paul Kvale, a member of the Henry Ford Medical Group, was one of the national leaders in standardizing this new advanced technique.

Dr. Jean F. Dumon first presented his developmental work of Nd:YAG laser photoresection of airway tumors in 1980. Further new therapeutic uses of bronchoscopy quickly followed, including, laser resection of airway stenosis also in 1980 and photodynamic therapy in 1981. Following further development of therapeutic procedures, the rigid bronchoscope returned to become the definitive tool for airway therapeutic procedures. Stents, devices used to open blocked blood vessels in the heart or other organs of the body are also used in the airways. The first dedicated silicone stent for the trachea and bronchi was introduced by Dr. Dumon in 1990.

Again, Henry Ford quickly incorporated these new techniques into the management of our patients. Dr. Paul Kvale introduced laser bronchoscopy in 1982. He then received further training and incorporated the use of rigid bronchoscopy in 1983 for therapeutic management of malignant airways obstruction. Dr. Kvale was further involved in development of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the management of endobronchial lung cancer. In 1993, the first Dumon silicone stent was placed in the airway of a patient at Henry Ford Hospital.

Dr. Michael Simoff trained with Dr. Kvale in bronchoscopy and interventional pulmonology during his Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship from 1993-1996.

Dr. Simoff purchased the first endobronchial ultrasound system at Henry Ford Hospital in 2000. Dr. Simoff was involved in the prototype evaluations and clinical testing of the endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBNA) bronchoscope, also referred to as the puncture scope. Dr. Simoff gave the talk that presented this new technology to the Community of Chest Physicians at the international meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians in 2003.

Over the past 10 years other advancements for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary disease that have been added include: Electrocautery and Argon Plasma Coagulation (2001), Cryotherapy (2002), Medical Thoracoscopy (2003), Autofluoresence (2004), Electromagnetic Navigation (superDimension Ltd) (2005), Microdebrider (2007), Confocal Microendoscopy (2006), and Endocytoscopy (2008). We have also been involved in the use of all airway stents and development of several other stents also over the past decade.

The Interventional Pulmonology Program at Henry Ford is also very involved in the advancement of interventional pulmonary education. We have offered the ‘Advanced Diagnostic Bronchoscopy’ course from 2004-2008. Because of its popularity it grew into the ‘Advanced Diagnostic Bronchoscopy and Thoracic Ultrasound’ Course, which began in 2009. The Interventional Pulmonology program at Henry Ford also offers one of the few one year advanced fellowships in Interventional Pulmonology offered throughout the United States.

The History of interventional pulmonology began over a century ago. The Interventional Pulmonology program at Henry Ford plans on continuing to contribute to the expansion and identity of this new field into the future.