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1st “NAVIGATIONAL BRONCHOSCOPY” PROCEDURES PERFORMED IN CAMERON COUNTY; HELPS DIAGNOSE LUNG CANCER AT EARLIER STAGES IN VALLEY PATIENTS
- Updated: December 20, 2013
HARLINGEN – Dr. Ricardo Martin Schwarcz, Pulmonologist, has performed the first “navigational bronchoscopy” procedures in Cameron County, which will help Valley lung cancer patients to be diagnosed at an earlier stage, when treatment is more effective.
Dr. Schwarcz, who performed the new procedure on seven patients in the Endoscopy Lab at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, said that it could potentially save the life of cancer patients in the Valley.
“The new procedure allows for early detection of lung cancer, which can lead to curative treatments, and this is very exciting” Dr. Schwarcz added. “And it is a less-invasive procedure, which means fewer complications for the patient. This is state-of-the-art technology.”
Dr. Ricardo Martin Schwarcz, right, Pulmonologist, recently performed the first “navigational bronchoscopy” procedures in Cameron County, which are expected to lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment for Valley lung cancer patients.
Dr. Leslie Pean, a pulmonologist who assisted Dr. Schwarz during some of the first procedures at Valley Baptist, said the new technology helps physicians to detect small cancer lesions. “For lung cancer, the smaller the lesion, the better the prognosis. Navigational bronchoscopy helps us in marking the site, for potential follow-up surgery to remove the tumor,” Dr. Pean added.
During bronchoscopy procedures, doctors use a thin tube with a light to look inside the lungs. With the tube and other instruments, the pulmonologist can retrieve small samples, which pathologists at Valley Baptist use to determine whether or not the patient has cancer. The new “SuperDimension” technology at Valley Baptist works like a GPS road-mapping system inside the lungs, helping physicians to move their instruments deeper within the lungs and to retrieve samples more easily.
For more information on lung cancer, consult your doctor and visit www.ValleyBaptist.net.
