BAYU by Respiratory Department, Sabah

14/04/2026

Post-tuberculosis bronchial stenosis remains prevalent in Sabah and continues to pose significant management challenges. Treatment strategies are often individualized, as no single approach fits all cases.
We demonstrate a patient who developed symptomatic left lung collapse two months after starting ATT. Bronchoscopic evaluation revealed significant stenosis of the left main bronchus. Despite the stenosis being present for approximately three months, successful recanalization of the left main bronchus was achieved.
This intervention resulted in re-expansion of the left lower lobe, although the left upper division bronchus remained obstructed. Notably, the patient experienced marked symptomatic improvement following the procedure.
This case highlights that even delayed intervention in post-tuberculosis bronchial stenosis can yield meaningful clinical benefits, particularly in relieving symptoms and restoring partial lung function.

09/04/2026

Another case of malignant central airway obstruction (MCAO), involving the distal trachea and right main bronchus, was successfully managed with the deployment of a silicone Y-stent. The intervention resulted in immediate restoration of airway patency and significant symptomatic relief. Importantly, this served as an effective bridging strategy, stabilising the patient’s respiratory status and enabling optimisation for subsequent definitive oncological treatment. This case underscores the pivotal role of timely airway intervention in altering the clinical trajectory of patients with advanced malignancy complicated by critical airway compromise.

09/04/2026

A patient with newly diagnosed primary lung malignancy and multiple metastases to the brain and spine presented with malignant central airway obstruction. The patient was deemed unfit for rigid bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia. Therefore, tumour debulking was performed under local anaesthesia, successfully restoring patency of the distal LMB and LLB, although the LUD remained obstructed. This case highlights that, in carefully selected patients with malignant central airway obstruction (MCAO), tumour debulking can be safely and effectively performed under local anaesthesia.

31/03/2026

Diagnosing smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis remains a significant challenge in Malaysia, particularly in resource-limited settings where access to rapid molecular diagnostics is restricted.
Our Respiratory Consultant and Head of Department, Dr Hema Yamini, in collaboration with multiple centres and experts, has contributed to the development of a clinical algorithm–based scoring system to aid in the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis, especially in primary care settings.
This scoring system integrates clinical, risk factor, and radiological parameters, providing a practical and structured approach to support clinicians in making timely diagnoses. The model demonstrated good diagnostic performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.88, sensitivity of 86.2%, and specificity of 77.4%.

For further reading, please refer to:

  Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global public health problem, accounting for an estimated 10.8 million infections and 1.25 million people deaths worldwide in 2023, with over 80% occurring in low- and middle-income countries [1]. There was an upward trend in TB incidence globally following the C...

31/03/2026

Last weekend, Dr Leong Wan Yi attended the prestigious ABIP 2026 Conference in Kochi, India

She was awarded 3rd place in the Oral Presentation category for her case on metastatic pleural synovial sarcoma.

Thank you to Dr Jamalul Azizi, Dr Tinku Joseph, and MABIP for the opportunity and support.

Congratulations, Dr Leong Wan Yi 👏

18/03/2026

A very overdue farewell post for our very own Dr Lo Shan Min.

If you’ve ever been confused about NIV settings or anything sleep related, the answer was usually simple… just find Dr Shan Min! Always calm, always approachable and somehow always so chill even when the rest of us were not. He made the complicated feel simple and the busy days feel a little less chaotic.

We truly miss you. Wishing you all the very best in your next chapter!

18/03/2026

More behind the scenes from our QEH Spirometry Workshop.

From small group discussions to hands on sessions, it was great to see everyone fully engaged.

Tag yourselves and your friends if you spot them.

18/03/2026

Our recent QEH Spirometry Workshop brought together doctors and healthcare staff for focused, hands on training in respiratory diagnostics.

From face to face small group discussions with our esteemed speakers to interpreting full lung function tests including spirometry, DLCO, lung capacities and impulse oscillometry, participants were fully engaged in supervised, practical sessions.

Great energy and enthusiasm throughout, highlighting a growing passion for respiratory care and lung health.

More photos available in our album, feel free to browse and tag yourselves!

27/01/2026

In this case, a 76-year-old gentleman with FDG-avid mediastinal lymph nodes required further evaluation to clarify the cause of the abnormal PET findings.

While EBUS-guided needle aspiration (TBNA) is often the standard first step, our team went a step further by performing a transbronchial cryonodal biopsy (TBNC).

Using a cryoprobe placed directly into the lymph node, we were able to obtain larger and more intact tissue samples, which can be crucial when conventional sampling is inconclusive.

Interestingly, the tissue retrieved had an anthracotic appearance, providing a possible explanation for earlier atypical results. Final histology is awaited to confirm the diagnosis.

A wonderful example of how advanced interventional techniques help us refine diagnoses and deliver more accurate, patient-centred care. This is a procedure we perform regularly as part of our advanced respiratory services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sabah.

27/01/2026

We recently managed a 62-year-old non-smoker who was found to have a suspicious left lung lesion discovered incidentally during scans performed for an unrelated medical condition.

Our team proceeded with a combined procedure under general anaesthesia, performing peripheral lung nodule biopsy and linear EBUS for mediastinal staging in the same setting.

Using a slim Vathin bronchoscope, fluoroscopic guidance, radial EBUS, and careful airway mapping, we were able to accurately reach and sample the lung lesion while assessing nearby lymph nodes during the same procedure.

This minimally invasive approach led to a definitive diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, enabling timely onward management without the need for multiple procedures.

Follow us for updates on advanced respiratory and interventional care, and to celebrate all things respiratory medicine!

24/01/2026

Thank you for the overwhelming response! Looking forward to seeing you all next week at our spirometry workshop.

13/01/2026

Final Announcement

We’re thrilled with the strong response to the Spirometry Workshop (29–30 January)!
Fewer than 5 seats left — don’t miss this opportunity. Register now before it’s fully booked!