Hospital acquires system for cancer biopsies

Terrebonne General Health System announced the recent acquisition of the Ion endoluminal system for lung cancer biopsies.
Ion is designed to address a challenging aspect of lung biopsy by enabling physicians to obtain tissue samples from deep within the lung. The Ion system features an ultra-thin, ultra-maneuverable1 catheter that allows navigation far into the peripheral lung, and unprecedented stability enables the precision needed for biopsy compared to manual techniques.1 Terrebonne General is the only facility in the region to offer this innovative technology.
During bronchoscopy with Ion, the physician uses the controller to navigate to the target along a planned path.
The catheter can articulate 180 degrees in any direction to pass through small, difficult-to-navigate airways and around tight bends to reach all 18 segments of the lung. Ion’s peripheral vision probe provides direct vision during navigation. Once the pulmonary nodule is reached, the catheter locks in place.
The Flexision biopsy needle, a flexible biopsy needle compatible with Ion, then passes through the catheter, even when positioned in tortuous airways. After advancing around tight-radius bends of the catheter, the needle deploys into the target location on a straight path.
Ion is made by Intuitive, the company that makes the da Vinci surgical system and is built on more than two decades of leadership in robotic-assisted technology.
“We are truly thrilled to be a leader in this field and look forward to continuing to bring minimally invasive robotic-assisted options to the Bayou Region,” said Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO.
For more information on robotic-assisted minimally invasive biopsies at Terrebonne General Pulmonology Care, contact us at 985-850-6090 or visit tghealthsystem.com.
Terrebonne General’s health care team consists of over 1,400 employees, with over 450 medical staff providers who offer 42 various specialties.