The Department of Medicine

Paul Branca, MD, FCCP, D-AABIP

Clinical Associate Professor
Chief, Section of Critical Care Medicine
Division of Pulmonary Medicine
Section of Critical Care Medicine

Clinical Focus

Interventional Bronchoscopy, Pleural Disease, Critical Care, Palliative Care, Medical Ethics Research Interest: Interventional Pulmonary, Pleural Disease, Lung Cancer

Education

Medical School
University of Miami, School Of Medicine, 1994

Residency
University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1997

Fellowship
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Tennessee, 2000

Certifications

American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine - Pulmonary Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine - Critical Care
Fellow, American College of Chest Physicians

Current Publications

Fogelson B, Qu D, Bhagat M, Branca PR.
Multi-organ system failure secondary to difluoroethane toxicity in a patient "huffing" air duster: a case report. J Addict Dis. J Addict Dis. 2022 Jan 19:1-6. doi: 10.1080/10550887.2022.2027207. Online ahead of print.

Fogelson B, Qu D, Bhagat M, Branca PR.
Multi-organ system failure secondary to difluoroethane toxicity in a patient "huffing" air duster: a case report. J Addict Dis. J Addict Dis. 2022 Jan 19:1-6. doi: 10.1080/10550887.2022.2027207. Online ahead of print.

Current Presentations

Treat S, Lange K, Gee K, Criswell E, Branca P. Chilled to the bone: A case of refractory vf arrest managed with VA ECMO. Presented at Society of Critical Care Medicine; 2024 January - 15; Phoenix, AZ.

Sharma N, Bevill B, Branca P, Callison C, Josan E. Retrospective pulmonary function testing screening for a pilot bronchoscopic lung volume reduction program. Presented at 6th Annual Conference of American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology; 2023 August-24; Chicago,IL.

Sharma N, Fuerst N, Branca P. A double bullseye: Robotic navigation assisted diagnosis of bilateral synchronous lung cancer Presented at American Thoracic Society 2023; 2023 May 19; Washington DC.

Sharma N, Fuerst N, Branca P. A double bullseye: Robotic navigation assisted diagnosis of bilateral synchronous lung cancer Presented at American Thoracic Society 2023; 2023 May 19; Washington DC.

Branca P. Update on endobronchial therapies for central airway obstruction Presented at John W. Whittington MD Endowed Lecture; 2022 September-30; Knoxville, TN.

Bhagat M, Wong F, Branca P. A Rare Asthma Impostor: An atypical case of granular cell tumor in a young patient causing endobronchial obstruction. Presented at American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology 2022 Annual Conference; 2022 August-11; Nashville, Tennessee.

Sharma N, Bhagat M, Dudney T, Dhand R, Bevill B, Branca P, McCormack M, Heidel R, Green J, Soto F. Use of Inhaled Epoprostenol Delivered by High-Flow Nasal Cannula in Patients with Severe Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure Secondary to COVID-19. Presented at American Thoracic Society 2022 Conference; 2022 May-13; San Francisco, California.

Bhagat M, Sharma N, Dudney TM, Dhand R, Bevill B, Branca P, McCormack M, Heidel R, Green J, Soto F. Use of inhaled epoprostenol delivered by high flow nasal cannula in patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure secondary to covid-19 Presented at American Thoracic Society 2022 ; 2022 May-13; San Francisco, CA .

Branca R, Branca P. Depression, anxiety, and somatization among critical care professionals during the covid pandemic Presented at Critical Care Congress; 2022 April-19; Virtual.

Branca R, Branca P. Effect of perception of star in time course of the pandemic on the emotional health of icu workers Presented at Critical Care Congress; 2022 April-19; Virtual.

Branca R, Branca P. Impact of social support and age on emotional health in ICU professionals during the covid pandemic Presented at Critical Care Congress; 2022 April-19; Virtual.

Bhagat MK, Mowery SR, Dudney TM, Branca P, McCormack MT, Dhand R, Heidel RE, Soto FJ. High-flow nasal cannula requirements in hypoxemic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19: Identifying FIO2 cutoffs that predict a higher risk for ICU admission, mechanical ventilation and death. Presented at CHEST; 2021 Oct 17-20; Orlando, FL.