COLUMBIA, Tenn. – Maury Regional Health has expanded diagnostic capabilities for lung health with the addition of the Ion® robotic-assisted bronchoscopy system. The advanced technology from Intuitive is designed to help physicians reach small or hard-to-reach lung nodules that are difficult to biopsy with traditional methods. Maury Regional Health is the only health system offering this technology in southern Middle Tennessee along the I-65 corridor between Nashville, Tennessee and Huntsville, Alabama.
Lung nodules are small areas of abnormal tissue in the lung that can appear as spots on an imaging scan. When a nodule appears suspicious, physicians may recommend a biopsy to determine whether cancer is present. Nodules located deep within the lung or in peripheral areas can be difficult to reach with traditional biopsy approaches, making it more challenging to obtain tissue for diagnosis.
Jon L. Freels, MD, a pulmonologist at Maury Regional Health, performed the first Ion procedure, marking the technology’s first use at the health system.
Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy provides physicians with a computer-generated map of the patient’s airways and a navigational path, as well as a small flexible catheter that is guided toward a suspicious nodule. the Ion® approach is minimally invasive, performed under anesthesia and allows most patients to return home the same day.
The Ion system’s ultrathin, flexible catheter, guided by three-dimensional airway mapping and shape-sensing navigation technology, allows physicians to reach targeted nodules deep within the lung and obtain tissue for testing.
Ion® Robotic Bronchoscopy uses a flexible catheter guided by three-dimensional airway mapping and shape-sensing navigation technology to reach targeted nodules deep within the lung and obtain tissue for testing. The minimally invasive procedure is performed under general anesthesia and allows most patients to return home the same day.
The Ion system joins Maury Regional Health’s growing portfolio of robotic and advanced surgical technologies, expanding the diagnostic and treatment capabilities available to patients throughout the region.
To learn more about technologies and capabilities at Maury Regional Health, visit www.mauryregional.com.
