Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge performs robotic-assisted lung biopsy

BATON ROUGE, La. – Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge now offers robotic-assisted bronchoscopy using the Ion robotic platform, a new, minimally invasive option for lung biopsy.

With bronchoscopy, doctors insert a long, thin tube with a camera to examine lung tissue and retrieve a biopsy sample. The Ion robot enables doctors to perform a biopsy quicker and safer than ever before.

These advancements are especially critical for treating lung cancer, since early detection is key to achieving the best outcome. Every six weeks of delayed treatment lowers a lung cancer patient’s five-year survival rate by 14%.

The Ion system enables physicians to reach very small nodules within the lung that would be difficult and risky to reach with traditional biopsy methods. Robot-assisted biopsies are also significantly safer for patients. Traditional biopsy methods have a complication rate of 20-25% compared to 1-3% with robotic procedures.

“The Ion robot gives us state-of-the-art capability to access lung nodules of both size and location that were previously difficult or impossible to access through the airways,” says Alexander Mulamula, MD, who performed the first Ion procedure at OMC-Baton Rouge. “Safety, reliability and diagnostic accuracy are always a premium, and the Ion delivers on all accounts.”

To schedule an appointment at any Ochsner location, call 866-624-7637 or visit www.ochsner.org/info. Online appointments are available through the MyOchsner patient portal.

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About Ochsner Health

Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. For 12 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Ochsner as the No. 1 hospital in Louisiana. Additionally, Ochsner Children’s has been recognized as the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana for three consecutive years. Ochsner inspires healthier lives and stronger communities through a combination of standard-setting expertise, quality and connection not found anywhere else in the region. In 2023, Ochsner Health cared for more than 1.5 million people from every state in the nation and 65 countries. Ochsner’s workforce includes more than 38,000 dedicated team members and over 4,700 employed and affiliated physicians. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit https://www.ochsner.org/.