UHS performs 100th Ion procedure

The UHS Pulmonary team at UHS Wilson Medical Center recently conducted its 100th procedure with the Ion, a robotic-assisted bronchoscopy tool transforming lung cancer diagnosis. This milestone marks the 100th patient given the life-saving opportunity to catch cancer early.

UHS is the first hospital system in the Southern Tier to offer Ion. Our Pulmonary Department began treating patients with Ion in April 2024. Within just one year, the team reached a remarkable milestone demonstrating a commitment to innovating patient care at all levels.

“It really is incredible to see how dedicated pulmonary professionals are in improving the lives of patients with lung conditions,” said Trevor Flanagan, MHA, BS, RRT, manager of UHS Pulmonary Services. “Their expertise in and commitment to pulmonary innovation expands patient options and improves outcomes. The advancements in diagnosis and treatment, from cutting-edge technology to personalized care plans, are truly life-changing for many.”

Physicians use Ion to reach all 18 segments of the lungs. The system is equipped with an ultra-thin and highly maneuverable catheter, allowing for navigation far into the peripheral lung. With its advanced mapping technique and flexibility, the Ion allows physicians to target small, hard-to-reach nodules that were previously inaccessible.

With Ion, practitioners can quickly target and biopsy nodules, enabling them to catch lung cancer and other related lesions early, when treatment is most effective, instead of taking a “wait and see” approach. This also spares patients from the need for extra follow-up visits and reducing the risk of recurrence.

“Robotic bronchoscopy has revolutionized the diagnosis of peripheral nodules,” said Muhammad Imtiaz, MD, director of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. “It offers a minimally-invasive technique for better diagnostic yield in patients with complex conditions, which not only provides early diagnosis, but better treatment strategies and improved survival rate in our patients. It also significantly reduces complications such as pneumothorax and bleeding. This leads to a faster recovery and overall better patient experience.”

In the summer of 2024, Candita Lee, of Berkshire, New York, was admitted to UHS Wilson with a gastrointestinal bleed. When a CT scan of her abdomen revealed a concerning mark in her lung, a pulmonologist recommended she have a bronchoscopy and a PET scan to determine if the mark was cancerous.

With the help of the Ion, our pulmonary and cardiothoracic teams were able to detect and remove the tumor and the lobe, leaving Ms. Lee cancer-free with no need for radiation.

To read the story of Ms. Lee’s experience with Ion, click here.

After consulting with a pulmonologist, patients are scheduled for the procedure and receive an official pathology diagnosis just a week post-op. Patients also benefit from the technology by receiving a diagnosis and additional lung cancer staging on the same day, instead of having a biopsy one day followed by an additional procedure at a later date.

"Ion Robotic bronchoscopy has significantly improved our ability to biopsy lung nodules and diagnose lung cancer at a very early stage, giving us a great advantage in the management of the lung cancer," said Muhammad Imran Ali, MD, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.

To learn more about the services we provide with Ion, click here.