Pleural pathology and, in particular, pleural effusion is a common clinical problem. It is estimated that more than one and a half million people develop it every year. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential because treatment and prognosis depend to a large extent on the cause of the effusion. The scope of pleural pathology encompasses a wide spectrum, and establishing the right diagnostic approach can require multiple and diverse complementary examinations.

That is why providing care for patients in multidisciplinary pleural pathology units makes it possible to homogenise the approach and correctly select the examinations necessary to reach an accurate diagnosis and identify the best therapeutic options with a view to establishing personalised, effective treatment.

The purpose of the Pleural Pathology Functional Unit (UPP) is, precisely, to provide specialised, multidisciplinary, transversal care of excellence to patients with pleural pathology, enabling the creation of a versatile, homogeneous care circuit of quality focused on patient care as well as promoting basic, clinical and translational research in this field.
 

STRUCTURE

The various services involved in the diagnosis and care of patients with pleural pathology all work with the UPP, which is coordinated by two specialist doctors from the Thoracic Surgery and Pneumology services.

Coordinators

• Dr Virginia Pajares (Pneumology Service)
• Dr Elisabeth Martínez (Thoracic Surgery Service)

Functional Unit team

• Dr. Pere Serra (Pneumology Service)
• Dr. Albert Rafecas (Pneumology Service)
• Dr. Juan Carlos Trujillo (Thoracic Surgery Service)
• Dr. Josep Belda (Thoracic Surgery Service)
• Dr. Alejandra Libreros (Thoracic Surgery Service)
• Dr. Jorge Hernández (Thoracic Surgery Service)
• Marta Navarro (Nursing Team)
• Mar Vega (Nursing Team)
• Marga Castro (Nursing Team)
• Laura Romero (Nursing Team)
• Marta Robles (Nursing Team)

Functional Unit collaborators

• Dr. Ana Parera (Anaesthesiology Service)
• Dr. Marta Argilaga (Anaesthesiology Service)
• Dr. Gracia Herranz (Anaesthesiology Service)
• Dr. Josep Maria Gil (Anaesthesiology Service)
• Dr. Mar Felipe (Anaesthesiology Service)
• Dr. Ana Giménez (Radiodiagnosis Service)
• Dr. Lydia Canales (Radiodiagnosis Service)
• Dr. José Manuel Brenes (Radiodiagnosis Service)
• Dr. Anton Aubanell (Radiodiagnosis Service)
• Dr. Laura López (Pathological Anatomy Service)
• Dr. Alberto Gallardo (Pathological Anatomy Service)
• Gemma Muñoz (Nursing Team, Surgical Department)
• Myriam Pacheco (Nursing Team, Surgical Department)

Services involved

• Thoracic Surgery
• Pneumology
• Anaesthesiology
• Radiodiagnosis
• Pathological Anatomy