Robotic Bronchoscopy

If your physician has found a spot on your lung (a small mass or nodule), he or she may recommend a lung biopsy. This is a test to determine if the nodule is cancer. While fewer than 5% of nodules turn out to be cancer, you’ll want to know if you need treatment because, as with most cancers, early detection allows for more effective care.

Robotic assisted bronchoscopy is one of the biopsy methods available at Willis Knighton using the Ion minimally invasive robotic assisted technology from Intuitive. Willis Knighton was the first in the region to offer this system to patients.

During the procedure, the surgeon guides an ultrathin catheter through your airway to the area of the lung where the spot was detected. When the nodule is located, the catheter locks in place and biopsy tools are inserted to take a tissue sample. Results are sent to the laboratory for analysis by a pathologist.