Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System

A new innovation that holds promise to fight lung cancer is now in use at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital — Tyler, according to information from Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System.

Used to view the inside of the lungs and obtain a tissue sample for biopsy, the goal of Auris Health’s Monarch Robotic Bronchoscopy Platform is to enable earlier and more-accurate diagnosis of small and hard-to-reach nodules in the periphery of the lung. This new robotic technology will soon make treatment of early-stage lung cancer possible.

“Northeast Texas has higher rates of smoking, COPD and lung cancer that most other parts of the country, so it is critically important that we invest in treatment and technology that will combat the health crisis facing this region,” said Dr. James Caccitolo, chief of cardiothoracic surgery, Christus Trinity Clinic.

The technology integrates the latest advancements in robotics, software, data science, and endoscopy (the use of small cameras and tools to enter the body through its natural openings). The Christus Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital — Tyler is among the first hospitals in the United States to utilize the platform, which was recently cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, in part because it has minimal or no symptoms in its early stages. Because the Monarch Platform provides improved reach, vision and control for bronchoscopic procedures, it holds potential to help us make a diagnosis earlier — and that means saving lives,” said Dr. Suman Sinha, chief of pulmonary medicine, director of the Lung Nodule Program and leader of the Monarch program at Christus Trinity Clinic.