MUSC Health Pulmonary at Rutledge Tower

Dr. Rissmiller grew up in Pennsylvania and attended Villanova University as an undergraduate. He then moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and spent ten years at Wake Forest University completing medical school, a residency in internal medicine and a pulmonary and critical care fellowship. He then spent nine years in Charlotte, North Carolina, at Carolinas Medical Center (Main Campus) and provided pulmonary and critical care services for patients, as well as taking an active role in resident and medical student education. Dr. Rissmiller moved to MUSC in February of 2013 and has helped expand the sarcoidosis program, as well as seeing patients with pulmonary hypertension and general inpatient and outpatient pulmonary medicine. He maintains an interest in education. He has been designated a master clinical teacher by the medical school in 2014 and was awarded the Michael E. Assey Teaching Award for the Department of Internal Medicine in 2015.

Silvana Mooney is a Nurse Practitioner working with the Pulmonary Hypertension Group, a part of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, and Sleep Medicine. Silvana works directly with Dr. Rahul Argula and Dr. Denise Sese providing care in the outpatient setting to patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Dr. Sexauer is an Assistant Professor of Medicine with dual appointments from the Divisions of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine and General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care. He practices Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine as well as Palliative Care Medicine in the inpatient setting at MUSC Charleston. His primary research interests include communication during critical illness and medical education.

Dr. Rahul Argula was born in Hyderabad, India. He completed his medical schooling further south in the coastal town of Puducherry, at JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research). After graduating from medical school, he moved to Houston, Texas, to pursue a Master's degree in public health at the University of Texas school of Public Health, focusing on epidemiology and biostatistics. He then completed a residency in internal medicine at MUSC and following this, completed his fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine, also at MUSC. In 2013, he joined the faculty at MUSC with an interest in pulmonary vascular disease. He is the director of the MUSC pulmonary vascular disease program, where patients with a multitude of pulmonary vascular diseases such as pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary vasculitides, pulmonary arterio-venous malformations, etc. are cared for. The MUSC pulmonary vascular disease program is the only one in the state of South Carolina that is designated as a comprehensive care center for patients with pulmonary hypertension by the PHA (Pulmonary Hypertension Association). Dr.Argula's research interests include pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary vascular disease in the setting of connective tissue disease, interstitial lung disease, end-stage renal disease and sarcoidosis. His clinical interests include pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH), chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), pulmonary vascular disease in the setting of advanced liver disease, end stage renal disease, COPD, and interstitial lung disease. Dr.Argula is board certified in pulmonary diseases and critical care. He works together with multiple providers within the MUSC system to provide inter-disciplinary care for patients with pulmonary hypertension and other advanced lung diseases. During his inpatient service time, Dr.Argula provides care for patients admitted to the intensive care units at MUSC and also provides consultative services to hospitalized patients with pulmonary diseases.

Luke Domaleski, MD, is a lung and critical care specialist. He cares for people with a wide range of breathing and lung conditions, including COPD, asthma, interstitial lung disease, lung nodules, and bronchiectasis.

Dr. Domaleski uses advanced techniques such as bronchoscopy and ultrasound to diagnose and treat lung problems, and he performs procedures like thoracentesis to help patients breathe more comfortably. He believes in partnering closely with patients and their families, making sure each person understands their diagnosis and treatment options.

After earning his medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine, Dr. Domaleski trained in internal medicine at the University of Cincinnati and completed fellowship training in pulmonology and critical care at Emory University.

He takes pride in guiding patients through complex lung conditions with clear communication and a focus on improving everyday quality of life.