Interventional Pulmonology

Interventional Pulmonology at Eisenhower Health is an important part of the multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and treating the complexities of lung cancer. By utilizing minimally invasive techniques, interventional pulmonologists can provide accurate diagnoses and effective treatments while minimizing discomfort and improving outcomes for our patients.

What is Interventional Pulmonology?

Pulmonology is a field of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer and other airway disorders related to breathing and the respiratory system, including the lungs, airways, breathing-related blood vessels and thoracic cavity, which is the area inside your upper chest that contains the lungs, heart and other organs. In the past, treating these conditions often required invasive surgery that could extend recovery time to weeks or months.

Interventional Pulmonology is a different approach to treating and managing lung cancer and other conditions of the respiratory system. While still a relatively new field, Interventional Pulmonology is dedicated to less-invasive methods of diagnosing, treating and managing lung cancer and its symptoms.

Rather than major surgery, Interventional Pulmonology utilizes next-generation imaging and techniques like advanced, guided bronchoscopy to improve outcomes and shorten hospital stays and recovery times. These efforts are overseen by a team of oncologists, thoracic surgeons and other specialists who are highly-trained in this less-invasive approach.

At Eisenhower Health, advanced techniques utilized include advanced endoscopic surgery, which is performed by passing small instruments and cameras into the thoracic cavity through small incisions, and robotic-assisted bronchoscopy with three-dimensional guidance, in which a camera is passed down the throat and into the respiratory system so the lungs and airways can be directly viewed by physicians.

Tomorrow's Techniques, Today

Interventional Pulmonology is about responsibly pushing the boundaries of medicine and techniques to help patients in ways that would have been simply impossible even a few years ago. Among the next-generation approaches employed by Interventional Pulmonology at Eisenhower Health include:

• The Ion by Intuitive Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy Platform

  • Eisenhower Health is proud to offer Ion Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy. It’s a robot-enabled technique that allows for safe, minimally-invasive collection of tissue samples for biopsy by passing instruments down the windpipe, even when lesions are deep in the lungs. Ion’s thin and maneuverable catheter allows clinicians to reach small lesions in all 18 segments of the lung, without invasive surgery or needle biopsies that puncture the skin.

• SABRE Surgical Approach

  • The single anesthesia bronchoscopy and resection event (SABRE) integrates robotic bronchoscopy — used for diagnosing and dye-marking lung nodules — with robotic thoracic surgery to remove the cancerous tissue in one streamlined procedure. Among the advantages: a rapid diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, which leads to reduced hospital visits and recovery time.

• Pulse Electric Field Ablation (PEF)

  • Unlike radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation, which use heat or cold to kill cancer cells, PEF uses high-voltage electrical pulses to selectively target cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. To treat cancerous lung nodules (either primary or metastatic), PEF is performed using a thin, flexible tube (bronchoscope) inserted into the lungs.