Sayer, father. (WETM) – Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital is the first healthcare system in the bilayer to adopt new technology for the treatment of lung cancer patients.
The technology is a robotic bronchoscope, the only device of its kind in the world. It is designed to detect lung cancer faster and more accurately than traditional bronchoscopy.
“As we know, major changes over the past decade have transformed surgery,” said Dr. Guthrie President and CEO Edmund Sabanegh. “This latest investment will have a positive impact on patients across the communities we serve.”
More than 20 patients have been evaluated using robotic bronchoscopy, and 85% of them have received cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment planning. Because of how fast the technology is, early diagnosis is now more likely, which often leads to a better prognosis.
Surgeons control the technology using a device shaped like a typical video game controller. Although seemingly easy to use, robotic bronchoscopes require years of experience to perform a flawless procedure.
“Basically, what the robotic bronchoscope does is allow me to go deeper into the lungs with better control than traditional bronchoscopes and bronchoscopes that are controlled only by my hands,” said Boyd Hehn, director of pulmonary and critical care at Guthrie Health. Allows me to perform high-fidelity biopsies of very small lung nodules.”
To see how fast a robotic bronchoscope can be, patients can examine lung nodules and lymph nodes at the same time. These are two procedures that usually had to be performed separately in the past.
Guthrie Clinic is a not-for-profit, multispecialty healthcare system that combines clinical and hospital care with research and education. It is dedicated to delivering new technologies and training the next generation of healthcare leaders.