Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital has completed its 100th robotic-assisted bronchoscopy, marking a milestone for the DeKalb facility. The procedure allows surgeons to take lung biopsies with the support of real-time diagnosis from an in-room pathologist.
Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy is less invasive than traditional methods and gives physicians access to hard-to-reach nodules in the outer regions of the lung, where about 70 percent of lung nodules are located. This technology helps speed up both diagnosis and treatment for patients.
“It’s incredibly stressful for patients to wait for biopsy results. To be able to minimally acquire a tissue sample and analyze rapidly, we can not only ease some of that anxiety for patients, but we can also swiftly get them to treatment,” said Daniel Coomes, DO, interventional pulmonologist at the Canning Thoracic Institute at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital.
The procedure uses 3D imaging and specialized software to map a route through the patient’s lungs. A physician navigates a small catheter using a controller; computer-guided navigation and a camera provide real-time visuals. Once at the target nodule, sensors keep the catheter stable as samples are taken. Fluorescent dye can be used to mark nodules for future surgery, allowing removal of minimal healthy tissue.
Nick Brenkus of Gilberts, Illinois underwent this procedure after his doctor monitored a spot on his lung that began growing over three years. “Quite honestly, he doesn't really remember too much about [the procedure] because it was so easy and so painless,” Nick’s wife Susan recalled. “He went in that morning. Dr. Coomes did the bronchoscopy. He was there for maybe another hour in recovery in Kishwaukee. Dr. Coomes said, ‘You know, you might end up with a sore throat or a little achiness,’ but he came home and the next day was back to Nick.”
Brenkus was diagnosed with stage one adenocarcinoma following his biopsy and was able to have surgery without needing chemotherapy or radiation due to early detection by Northwestern Medicine thoracic surgeon Andrew Arndt, MD.
“Any of the follow-ups since the surgery have all been good,” Brenkus shared.
“The fact that Dr. Coomes saw this early on and continued to keep an eye on it really helped with identifying the issue soon enough that we caught this so early. That is a blessing,” said Susan Brenkus.
Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital recently invested $15 million in renovating its surgical suite, which included adding another surgical robot and expanding minimally invasive procedures available locally.
“We’re dedicated to making sure our patients have access to these advanced, minimally invasive procedures close to home. This is critical to early diagnosis and treatments for our patients and ensures the highest level of care is available for our community, in our community,” said Maura O’Toole, president of Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital.
Robotic-assisted surgeries now offered at Kishwaukee include those involving prostate, kidney, bladder, gynecological operations as well as general surgeries such as hernia repairs and bowel resections.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States according to national statistics; more people die from lung cancer than colon, breast or prostate cancers combined each year.
More information about robotic-assisted bronchoscopy at Northwestern Medicine can be found at https://www.nm.org/conditions-and-care-areas/treatments/ion-lung-screening while details about their Canning Thoracic Institute are available at https://www.nm.org/conditions-and-care-areas/pulmonary.
