Northwest Hospital Now Using Robotic Technology for Earlier Lung Cancer Detection

_{Ion Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy Allows Physicians to Navigate Lung’s Smallest Airways; System is the First Major Investment for the Kahlert Surgical Innovation Institute}

Randallstown — Doctors at Northwest Hospital, part of LifeBridge Health, are now using the Ion endoluminal system, a robotic-assisted bronchoscopy tool, to detect lung cancer earlier and with greater precision.

“We are so excited because this robotic technology gives specialists the ability to reach, biopsy and diagnose even the smallest, hardest-to-access lung nodules with extraordinary accuracy,” says Joseph Bennett, M.D., MBA, system chief of surgery for LifeBridge Health. “What once required more risky, invasive and less precise interventions can now be accomplished with a sophisticated, minimally invasive robotic platform — often before symptoms ever appear.”

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, and early detection is critical in saving lives. Many lung cancers begin as tiny nodules hidden deep within the lung, which are often picked up as incidental findings during other diagnostic testing. However, these nodules may have been too small for previous technologies to reach or required more invasive procedures to investigate nodules that may not have been cancerous. Or patients may have taken a wait-and-see approach, living with the anxiety of a potentially cancerous nodule in their lungs until the next follow up CT scan which may not be for several months.

The Ion system allows surgeons to use an ultra-thin catheter to access all 18 segments of the lung, even those located at the periphery where the airways are very narrow. According to Ion’s manufacturer, more than 70% of nodules that need biopsy are found in the periphery of the lung.

“The ability to reach and biopsy even the smallest lung nodules in a minimally invasive procedure means we will be able to confirm cancerous nodules at earlier stages, which then creates more treatment options,” says Nicholas Karis, M.D., LifeBridge Health chief of thoracic surgery.

The Ion system also represents the first major technology purchase made possible through the newly established Kahlert Surgical Innovation Institute. A $10 million gift from The Kahlert Foundation to LifeBridge Health enables the community health system to invest in advanced and emerging surgical technologies to enhance patient care and medical training.

“We are deeply grateful to The Kahlert Foundation for this transformational gift and their commitment to improving and strengthening health care for our communities,” says Craig Carmichael, MBA, CPA, CISA president and chief operating officer of Northwest Hospital.