OXFORD, Miss., – Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi physicians are among the first in Mississippi to use a new robotic bronchoscopy procedure to help detect lung cancer earlier. 

Combining the latest advancements in robotics, software, data science and endoscopy, Auris Health’s Monarch Platform’s robotic bronchoscopy system allows surgeons to remove and biopsy nodules, or tumors, in the lungs that are small and hard to see or difficult to reach, ultimately leading to a more accurate and earlier diagnosis. 

“Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, in part because it has little to no symptoms in its earliest stages,” said Dr. Jennifer Gardner, pulmonologist with Oxford Pulmonology. “Because this new technology provides improved access and vision for bronchoscopy procedures, it holds potential to help us make a diagnosis earlier and, hopefully, treat more patients successfully.” 

Auris Health unveiled the Monarch Platform technology at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery virtual conference in 2020. The system utilizes an instinctive controller interface that allows physicians to navigate the robotic endoscope around the lungs.

The technology is designed to identify lung cancer in its early stages before it takes over large swaths of the lungs or infects other vital organs.

Statistics show that more than 90% of patients diagnosed with lung cancer do not survive because diagnosis isn’t typically made until the advanced stages of the disease. Since February 2022, Baptist North Mississippi has performed four procedures with the technology. 

For more information, please call 662-636-1000 or visitnorthmiss.baptistonline.org.