Lexington-based University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center has begun using surgical robotics to diagnose and treat early-stage lung cancer in a single anesthesia session, according to an Aug. 14 news release.
In the new approach, patients first undergo a biopsy with Intuitive’s Ion endoluminal system. While the patient remains under anesthesia, pathologists analyze the sample for cancer and if it is found, surgeons immediately proceed with tumor removal using a da Vinci surgical robot. This eliminates the usual three-to-eight week gap between diagnosis and surgery, reducing anesthesia exposures, recovery time and patient anxiety, according to the release.
The program launched in February and has treated six patients so far.
