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Minimally invasive technology enables earlier detection and faster treatment of lung cancer
Broward Health Medical Center announced the acquisition of the Ion™ Endoluminal System. This state-of-the-art robotic-assisted navigational bronchoscopy platform enhances the early detection and treatment of lung cancer. With this advanced robotic platform, Broward Health Medical Center is now the first hospital in Broward County to offer both interventional pulmonology and thoracic surgery services in a single location, bringing comprehensive lung cancer care closer to home for our community.
“This robotic system represents another step forward in our commitment to bringing leading-edge care to our community,” said Manny Linares, CEO of Broward Health Medical Center. “This investment helps ensure that patients in Broward County have access to innovative, minimally invasive care close to home.”
Ion provides physicians with a highly precise, minimally invasive approach to diagnosing lung nodules that are small, deep or difficult to reach using traditional methods. The system creates a three-dimensional, GPS-like map of the lungs, allowing pulmonologists to navigate complex airways with exceptional stability and accuracy.
“When lung nodules are identified early, we can intervene sooner and often before cancer spreads,” said Sajive Aleyas, M.D., a pulmonary critical care surgeon with the Broward Health Physician Group. “Ion allows us to move quickly from detection to diagnosis, and in many cases, directly to treatment.”
If a lung nodule is detected during the procedure, a biopsy can be analyzed immediately in collaboration with the pathology team. When cancer is confirmed, patients may proceed to surgical removal in partnership with an in-house thoracic surgeon, often while still sedated. In some cases, patients learn in recovery that the cancer has already been removed and can move directly to the recovery phase of care.
Time Matters in Lung Cancer Care
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and accounts for more deaths than colorectal, breast and prostate cancers combined. Nearly half of all lung cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment options are limited. Yet the five-year survival rate is six times higher when lung cancer is diagnosed at a localized stage.
Research shows that delays as short as 12 weeks between diagnosis and intervention are associated with higher recurrence rates and worse survival outcomes. In fact, more than 45% of patients experience tumor progression between initial diagnostic imaging and surgical treatment.
Broward Health Medical Center’s integrated model is designed to dramatically reduce those delays. While the national average time from lung cancer diagnosis to surgery is approximately six months, Broward Health aims to reduce that timeline to 28 days or less.
Advancing Minimally Invasive Diagnosis
The Ion Endoluminal System, manufactured by Intuitive Surgical, captures hundreds of measurements per second to guide physicians through the lung’s anatomy with remarkable precision. Its ultra-thin, flexible, steerable instruments enable access to peripheral lung nodules that are often unreachable with conventional bronchoscopy.
Procedures are performed under deep sedation to minimize patient movement. Most patients are discharged the same day following the 45 to 90 minute procedure, experiencing minimal discomfort, including temporary throat soreness.
Compared to traditional CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy, which carries a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) risk of more than 25% and often requires multiple procedures for staging or bilateral nodules, Ion offers lower complication rates and the ability to perform diagnosis and staging in a single session.
A Multidisciplinary Robotic Approach
Broward Health Medical Center uniquely integrates Ion robotic bronchoscopy with da Vinci® robotic surgery, allowing pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons to collaborate closely in multidisciplinary clinics. This dual-robot approach creates the potential for early detection, diagnosis, staging and surgical treatment under a single administration of anesthesia.
“Many lung nodules are discovered incidentally during CT scans performed in emergency settings, and without a clear pathway for follow-up, critical time can be lost,” Dr. Aleyas said. “Ion gives us the ability to precisely reach these difficult-to-access nodules, confirm a diagnosis sooner and move patients toward treatment while the disease is still highly treatable.”
Transforming Lung Cancer Outcomes
With Ion, Broward Health Medical Center is advancing a new standard of lung cancer care that prioritizes early detection, rapid diagnosis and timely intervention. By reducing delays and minimizing invasiveness, healthcare providers are focused on significantly improving survival rates and quality of life for patients facing lung cancer.
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About Broward Health
Broward Health, founded in 1938 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ranks among the 10 largest public healthcare systems in the United States. Nationally recognized for its focus on high-quality care for the residents of Broward County and beyond, Broward Health boasts five hospitals, two trauma centers, was the county’s first statutory teaching hospital and has an ever-growing graduate medical education program. It includes more than 50 health centers and physician practices covering virtually every healthcare specialty.
Broward Health never stops working toward its mission of Exceptional Care, Extraordinary Compassion and Everyday Excellence. Driven by more than 11,000 talented employees and physicians who deliver care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay, Broward Health is one of the largest employers in Broward County with an operating budget of $1.8 billion and annually provides almost $520 million in charity and uncompensated care.
For more information about Broward Health, visit BrowardHealth.org.
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