Current Diagnostic Method in Lung Cancer Ebus Bronchoscopy

10 June 2018

EBUS – a very advanced diagnostic method that eliminates requirement of major surgeries – is available in Emsey Hospital. Prof. Ali Metin Görgüner, M.D., informs in detail about this novel treatment method.

 

A bat-inspired technology

In EBUS system, a probe that emits sound waves is equipped on the probe and integrated to the system. The best example of this in the nature is bats. Bats send out or emit and listen to sound waves in frequencies that cannot be heard by human and thus, they determine the location of all objects around them.

EBUS method uses bronchoscope to see the inside of the bronchi, and when a probe that is inspired from bats is equipped on one end of the bronchoschope, sound waves are emitted to get a very clear sonographic image of lympg nodes, tissues and blood vessels that are located behind the bronchial wall. As a special needle is used, this method enables access to the enlarged lymph nodes or the lesions adjacent to major airways that are located in the thoracic cavity and cannot be reached with conventional bronchoscopy method.

After a lymph node or a tumor that will be biopsied is located on sonographic images, a specially designed thin needle is advanced through the bronchoscope and the lymph node or the mass lesion is biopsied under ultrasound guidance.

 

Early diagnosis may save life

EBUS method helps taking tissue samples only from lymph nodes that are likely diseased and reaching the target precisely. Another advantage of this method is the elimination of vascular injury, as blood vessels are sonographically visualized.

This method is, especially, used successfully for diagnosing the enlarged lymph nodes in the thoracic cavity, and diagnosing, staging and guiding the treatment of tumors that cannot be accessed with conventional methods as well as diagnosing certain diseases, such as sarcoidosis, lymphoma and tuberculosis and detecting the clots in great vessels of lungs.

It is a short-lasting procedure and patients are discharged in same day

This method prevents many patients from unnecessary operations, and lung diseases can be diagnosed and staged in a pain-free procedure that lasts 15 to 20 minutes even without need to hospitalize patients. The procedure is performed jointly by an anesthesiologist, if necessary or as an option, and thus, the patient feels almost nothing. All vital signs, such as blood pressure, pulse, electrocardiography and oxygen saturation, are monitored through the procedure and immediately intervened.  After the procedure is completed, the patient can be discharged to home in same day.

EBUS is an extremely safe method. Potential rare side effects of the procedure include agitation, coughing and bleeding at the puncture site. Considering the diagnostic value of the procedure, it is regarded as one of non-surgical methods with lowest risk.

 

 

Ekleme Tarihi: 6/10/2018
Güncelleme Tarihi: 6/10/2018
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