ION Navigational Robotic Bronchoscopy, a safer and more accurate lung biopsy, now offered at LLUMC- Murrieta

ION Navigational Robotic Bronchoscopy, a minimally invasive, robot-assisted procedure, gives physicians the precision they need to safely navigate and biopsy areas of the lungs that were previously difficult or impossible to access with traditional techniques.

While bronchoscopy, a method used to examine the lungs and airways isn't new, a traditional bronchoscopy procedure has certain limitations, including thicker, harder-to-control tools that aren't able to reach deeply located nodules or regions of the lungs. Additionally, other biopsy methods, such as CT-guided needle biopsies or surgical biopsies, are more invasive and carry a higher complication rate.

ION Robotic Bronchoscopy reduces these risks and modernizes the procedure by combining robotics, fiber-optic vision, and advanced imaging technologies with a high degree of articulation in a small, flexible catheter.

Stefan Sien, D.O., pulmonologist and critical care specialist at Loma Linda University Murrieta Campus, says the robotically navigated catheter allows doctors to reach deep and narrow parts of the bronchial tree with greater accuracy and stability.

"The catheter is guided by a robotic system that is similar to using a video game controller," Sien explains. "The precision of the system, used in combination with fluoroscopy and real-time ultrasound, can mean the difference between early diagnosis and delayed treatment. This technology is being utilized at Loma Linda University's Main Campus, and we are proud to be able to bring this to the Murrieta campus to provide more access to our community here."

Who benefits from an ION Robotic Bronchoscopy?

Sien explains that there are a variety of scenarios in which a patient might receive this procedure:

• Existing nodules that evolve, increase in size, or multiply in high-risk individuals are currently being monitored for lung cancer, possibly due to a history of smoking or previous cancer diagnoses like breast or colon cancer.

• During imaging for an unrelated issue, such as for pneumonia or asthma, a CT scan reveals an incidental pulmonary nodule.

• Multiple nodules or masses in the lungs, found on CT scan, with evidence of existing malignancy elsewhere in the body

• When monitored nodules over time have not changed but warrant a biopsy, which would provide peace of mind, ruling out cancer.

What happens during the procedure?

Regardless of the reason someone undergoes the ION Robotic Bronchoscopy procedure, the goal is the same: to safely obtain tissue samples. To do this, while a patient is under general anesthesia, a thin, flexible catheter is navigated to the lesion using real-time video and digital imaging. Once at the target site, the robot allows doctors to use tiny tools to take tissue samples.

The process, which lasts between 30 minutes to two hours, then follows standard biopsy protocols where the tissue is analyzed, and the patient and care team determine the next steps after a diagnosis is made.

Choosing robotic biopsy over traditional methods

The decision to use ION Robotic Bronchoscopy is a clinical choice. Physicians weigh each case to determine the safest, most effective approach. As this technology becomes more widely available, many are leaning toward it as a first-line tool thanks to its safety and minimally invasive nature.

"This program is part of our effort to build a more comprehensive cancer program at Loma Linda University Murrieta," Sein says. "We want to provide more choices and easier access for patients across the valley, while simultaneously reducing wait times and keeping complication rates to a minimum."

For more information on how ION Robotic Bronchoscopy helps diagnose and treat lung disease, visit our website here.