Hemant Sawnani, MD

As a pediatric pulmonologist, I have a special interest in neuromuscular pulmonary medicine including sleep-disordered breathing and chest wall disorders in neuromuscular diseases and have a key interest in invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation. I collaborate nationally to study the respiratory management of complications of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), congenital myopathies and spinal cord injury.

My admiration for the functionality of the chest wall, and my enjoyment of pulmonary physiology and elemental physics attracted me to this field. In our Comprehensive Neuromuscular Center, we offer the best form of collaborative, multi-specialty care with shared decision-making and real-time communications — making it a very unique and truly interdisciplinary neuromuscular clinic. My approach to care of my patients is that with good form, comes good function. That is to say, if the chest wall remains mechanically sound, it will enhance comfort and bolster the results of novel therapies.

My research efforts are directed towards exploring cardio-pulmonary interactions at different stages of the disease in DMD and enhancing respiratory care management in a variety of other muscular dystrophies and myopathies. We are also developing multidisciplinary care models for spinal cord injury, congenital myopathies and other conditions. Above all, I am committed to partnering with experts in the field and educating care providers.

Outside of work, I have found that photography has taught me the meaning of “perspective” and its application to life, and that the solitude of long bicycle rides allows for reflective contemplation.