TULSA, Okla. — Since December, Dr. Kelly Nagasawa, a cardiothoracic surgeon, has used the Ion endoluminal system to reach deep into the lungs to search out suspicious nodules.
The robotic system utilizes an ultra-thin catheter allowing the surgeon to maneuver into areas of the lung that were previously unreachable.
Dr. Nagasawa uses the new system to search out lung cancer. The first procedure, called a "Fast Track Nodule Pathway," lasted 4 hours, and was performed on December 15, 2022. He soon found he can biopsy a suspicious lump, get the lab results; and if it is malignant, remove it immediately. Since this is all accomplished in the same surgery, Dr. Nagasawa said it is safer for the patient.
"My patient had an undiagnosed nodule confirmed it was a cancer in the operating room and she had an appropriate cancer operation the same day," said Dr. Kelly Nagasawa, cardiothoracic surgeon at Ascension St. John. "It was a month from when we found the nodule to the day it was removed so you can imagine, hopefully the prognosis is significantly increased."
In addition, the minimally invasive procedure is believed to be safer for patients since there is a lower risk of lung collapse as there is no need for needle biopsy. Typically, surgeons use a needle biopsy to test the tissues of a suspicious nodule. Needle biopsy punctures the lung and involves a 20-30% risk of lung collapse. The physician said with the Ion robotic system, there is only a 1% risk of lung collapse and the patient will no longer need to undergo multiple procedures.
When asked if he and other surgeons at St. John are pleased to have the new technology available to them, Dr. Nagasawa said, "Myself and the pulmonologists here are quite excited and we realize the benefits of it for our patients and the community and the hope is to make a dent in the prognosis and survival of lung cancer."
Until now, the length of time from the first x-rays or CT scans to biopsy and then beginning cancer treatment is typically three months. Dr. Nagasawa has already seen that time trimmed to one month. After performing 11 procedures using the Ion endoluminal system, he believes reducing the time from diagnosis to treatment will potentially improve even more patients' lung cancer survival rate.
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