Teams at UHP complete first UK Navigational Bronchoscopy with digital fluoroscopic navigation
Teams from University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) performed the first Electromagnetic Navigational Bronchoscopy (ENB) biopsy case in Devon and Cornwall, and the first case in the UK which incorporated digital fluoroscopic navigation.
The Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Medicine teams at UHP came together last week to perform an ENB procedure for first the time in Devon and Cornwall. UHP was able to undertake this new procedure, thanks to NHS England Funding, which provided the necessary equipment last year to help with diagnosing lung cancers more accurately.
ENB is a day case procedure performed under general anaesthesia to biopsy lung lesions by inserting a telescope in the patient's windpipe and using a "GPS" system (based on the patient’s CT scan) to navigate to where the lung tumour is to accurately biopsy the lesion. What makes the procedure at UHP even more unique is that digital fluoroscopic navigation was also used to increase the accuracy of the biopsy by calibrating the “GPS” in real-time.
Currently CT-guided lung biopsy remains the preferred method to biopsy lesions on the periphery of the lung. However, lesions deep in the lung are notoriously difficult to biopsy and traditional bronchoscopy methods only yield a success rate of 40-50% meaning many patients may not get a conclusive diagnosis before surgery or other treatments. ENB takes this success rate to over 60% and ENB with digital fluoroscopy takes this to in excess of 75%.
Other thoracic centres in the UK, although utilising ENB, have not yet adopted concurrent digital fluoroscopy, making UHP the first in the UK to deliver the full recommended procedure.
Lung cancer has the highest mortality of all cancers in the UK and the world. By diagnosing lung cancers early, patients are more likely to be able to be cured, rather than requiring palliative treatment.
Talking about the procedure, Mr Priyad Ariyaratnam, Consultant Thoracic Surgeon at UHP, said: "We are delighted to have brought Electromagnetic Navigational Bronchoscopy (ENB) to UHP as a collaboration between the respiratory medicine and thoracic surgery departments.”
“The cutting-edge day-case biopsy procedure will allow us to diagnose early-stage lung cancers more accurately to improve survival whilst also allowing us to label lesions as benign with more confidence. The procedure complements the minimally invasive thoracic surgery ethos that we have proudly cultured here at UHP over the last decade.
“Although early days, ENB will help put UHP at the forefront of delivering on national targets in lung cancer.”
In the UK, lung cancer screening has been introduced to help pick up lung tumours early. However, once these tumours are located, they will still need to be biopsied to inform what treatment the patient requires.
ENB, especially when assisted with digital fluoroscopy, will enable UHP to provide patients with more accurate biopsies and the most appropriate treatment plans.
For more information on the Thoracic Surgery and Respiratory Medicine services at UHP, visit our website.
