Dr. Patrick
Stafler
MD (Hons) · MSc · MRCPCH
Pediatric Pulmonologist at Schneider Children's Medical Center, serving as Director of the Bronchoscopy Service and founder of Israel's first Aerodigestive Center. Senior Clinical Lecturer in Pediatrics at Tel Aviv University, with 50+ peer-reviewed publications.
Trained at Royal Brompton and Great Ormond Street Hospitals, London. MSc from University College London. MD (Hons) from Heinrich Heine University, based on research at Harvard Medical School.
50+
Peer-Reviewed Publications
16+
Years at Schneider
1st
Aerodigestive Center in Israel
$160K
Research Grant — Weizmann
- Director, Bronchoscopy Service
- Founder, Aerodigestive Center
- Lung Function Laboratory
- Complex airway disease
- Radar monitoring — Weizmann Institute
- Digital asthma platform (2M NIS)
- TytoCare FDA-cleared algorithms
- Schneider Venture Capital — Deal Flow
- Senior Clinical Lecturer, TAU
- 50+ peer-reviewed publications
- Reviewer: Ped Pulmonology, BMJ, AJRCCM
- Medical innovation fellowship alumnus
Bronch Nuggets
Selected cases illustrating advanced pediatric airway interventions.
Transbronchial Cryo-Biopsy
A 17-year-old post–lung transplant patient with declining FEV₁ illustrates the clinical leverage of transbronchial biopsy strategy in suspected rejection. While forceps sampling confirmed acute cellular rejection (A1/A2), subsequent cryobiopsy demonstrated superior tissue yield and diagnostic refinement, capturing evolving pathology despite suboptimal clinical response.
Anterior Aortopexy
A 4-month-old with repaired type C esophageal atresia presented with recurrent life-threatening events despite adequate management of an anastomotic stricture. Bronchoscopy revealed a dual pathology—posterior tracheomalacia compounded by anterior vascular compression—culminating in airway collapse during feeds.
Left Main Bronchus Stenosis – Metal Stent
A 7-year-old with post–cardiac repair left main bronchus compression illustrates the protracted course of airway stenting in children. Despite aortopexy and initial stenting, persistent atelectasis, granulation tissue, and distal stenosis necessitated iterative interventions—including telescoped stents and endoscopic debulking.
Lung Insufflation
Refractory atelectasis in infancy remains a therapeutic blind spot when conventional strategies fail. This case demonstrates a pragmatic adaptation of bronchoscopic lung insufflation—combining pressure-controlled recruitment (via Neopuff) with targeted surfactant delivery—achieving rapid re-expansion without barotrauma.
Articles
Aerodigestive Clinic Model
This study describes the establishment and early experience of Israel's first pediatric aerodigestive center, addressing a population with highly complex, multi-system disease. It demonstrates how structured, multidisciplinary care can streamline diagnostics and management for children with intertwined airway, feeding, and respiratory disorders.
Cryotherapy in the Pediatric Airway
This multicenter study evaluates cryotherapy as a relatively new interventional bronchoscopy technique in children. It shows high success rates across indications—including airway obstruction and foreign body removal—with a strong safety profile, helping define the role of cryotherapy as a practical and safe addition to the pediatric airway toolbox.
Inspiromatic Dry Powder Inhaler
This randomized crossover trial examines a novel breath-synchronized dry powder inhaler designed to overcome technique limitations in children. It demonstrates comparable bronchodilator efficacy to conventional devices, with high patient preference and usability — addressing a key barrier in pediatric asthma care.
Lung Clearance Index After Bariatric Surgery
This study explores how weight loss affects lung function in adolescents using Lung Clearance Index (LCI), a sensitive measure of small airway disease. It shows that LCI detects improvements not always captured by standard spirometry, positioning LCI as a valuable tool for uncovering subtle respiratory benefits of metabolic interventions.
Oxygen Insufflation to Detect Occult TEF
This paper introduces a simple bronchoscopic technique — low-flow oxygen insufflation — to identify otherwise occult tracheo-esophageal fistulas. It demonstrates that standard visualization may miss clinically relevant fistulas, which can be revealed using this method without added risk.
Of Catarrh and Catharsis
This reflective piece bridges clinical medicine and the emotional experience of caring for children with severe airway disease. Through narrative, it highlights the shared journey of patients, families, and clinicians, and the psychological weight carried in complex care — emphasizing that medicine is not only technical, but deeply human.
Computerized Scoring System for Foreign Body Aspiration
This study validates a computerized clinical scoring system to support decision-making in suspected foreign body aspiration. It demonstrates high sensitivity, offering a structured way to identify children who require bronchoscopy while potentially reducing unnecessary procedures.
Fever Duration and Biomarkers in Pediatric Pneumonia
This study shows that the diagnostic accuracy of common inflammatory biomarkers depends strongly on the timing within the fever course. It identifies optimal windows for interpretation and highlights the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a particularly consistent marker, refining how clinicians interpret labs in suspected pneumonia.
Home High-Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) Therapy
This multicenter study evaluates the feasibility of delivering high-flow nasal cannula therapy in the home setting for children. It demonstrates safety, reduced hospitalizations, improved weight gain, and high parental satisfaction — supporting a broader transition of respiratory care from hospital to home.
Medicine as a Bridge to Peace
This perspective highlights how healthcare can transcend political and cultural divides, particularly in times of conflict. Drawing on clinical experience in Israel, it illustrates how shared medical care fosters collaboration and humanity, reframing medicine as a platform for connection beyond borders.
RespiTrack
RespiTrack – Home Asthma Monitoring
A home sensor–enabled virtual asthma clinic, validated in a randomized controlled trial, delivering continuous data-driven pediatric care by shifting follow-up from hospital to home.
Blogs
Reflections on life, medicine and the spaces between
It's ok, but it's not ok
Resilience, remembrance and responsibility in a pediatric practice. In memory of Yemanu Binyamin Zalka (z"l).