Prana Surgical, a medical device company based in Houston, has completed the first five clinical procedures using its Prana System as part of an early feasibility study in Australia. The system is designed for image-guided, minimally invasive surgery with the goal of preserving healthy tissue and enabling personalized treatment plans for conditions such as lung cancer.
The initial procedures were conducted by Dr. Gavin Wright, thoracic surgeon and Director of Surgical Oncology at St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. Patients involved will continue to be monitored according to the study protocol.
The ongoing study aims to evaluate how well the Prana System supports image-guided localization and removal of small pulmonary nodules. Up to 15 patients are expected to participate over six months, with the first five already treated. These cases involved nodules measuring between 4 and 10 millimeters located in peripheral segments of the lung—areas where traditional biopsy tools often have difficulty obtaining accurate samples. The data collected from these procedures will help assess workflow efficiency, usability, and device performance.
Early detection of lung cancer lesions has increased due to expanded screening programs, but many early-stage nodules remain challenging to biopsy or remove safely because they are less than 20 millimeters in size and situated peripherally within the lungs. Conventional bronchoscopy techniques frequently cannot reach these lesions, while surgical options may require removing large portions of healthy lung tissue. The Prana System is intended to provide a minimally invasive alternative that could help clinicians manage difficult-to-access nodules earlier in the disease process.
Dr. Gavin Wright commented on the milestone: “The ability to complete the first procedures with this system is an important step for evaluating new options in thoracic surgery,” said Dr. Gavin Wright, primary investigator for the study. “Its integrated design and workflow offer a potential new approach for addressing small, hard-to-reach pulmonary nodules. We look forward to assessing its performance across the full study.”
Enrollment for the early feasibility study (ACTRN12625001250426) will continue over coming months as researchers assess device safety in a clinical setting.
“These first cases reflect years of iterative engineering, clinical input, and focused development from our team,” said Joanna Nathan, CEO and Co-Founder of Prana Surgical. “They open the door to studying new procedural approaches for small pulmonary lesions that have historically been difficult to address without surgery.”
Completion of these initial procedures marks progress toward Prana Surgical’s broader clinical and regulatory objectives.
