Breathe Easier With Robotic Bronchoscopy

Judith Meschede used to walk 30 miles a week. Still, even with her healthy habits, during a scheduled visit, her doctor noticed cholesterol continued to increase.

Judith’s physician knew that her family had a history of heart disease, so he suggested a heart and lung scan at Franciscan Health Crown Point.

The good news: There were no problems with her heart.

The bad news: Doctors discovered a nodule in her lungs through a biopsy.

She was shocked to hear about her lung cancer diagnosis since she didn’t recognize any symptoms beforehand.

“I had no symptoms, nothing,” she said.

Lung Biopsy With The Latest Technology In Robotic Bronchoscopy

Judith had her lung biopsy at the Franciscan Health Cancer Center in Munster, and the doctors used the latest technology in robotic bronchoscopy for it.

Guided by a physician, robotic bronchoscopy technology allows an ultra-thin catheter with a camera attached to pass through the airways to deeper areas of the lung than traditional needle biopsies, which often miss early cancer diagnoses.

Franciscan Health Indianapolis was the first hospital in Indiana to offer robotic bronchoscopy as a service as of 2019. Franciscan Health Munster and Franciscan Health Crown Point both added the technology in 2022, and Franciscan Health Michigan City in 2023.

“Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the U.S. for both men and women,” said Nicole Geissen, DO, a RUSH University thoracic surgeon treating patients at Franciscan Health in Munster and Dyer. “The best chance for successful treatment and even cure is when the disease is detected in its early stages.”

Giovanni Infusino, MD, a pulmonologist with Franciscan Physician Network Crown Point Internal Medicine and Specialty Center, said the intricate and narrow segments in the lung often make it difficult or unsafe to obtain a biopsy of a nodule.

“This new technology provides a minimally-invasive option for patients who otherwise would have been told to ‘watch and wait,’” Dr. Infusino said.

Even better, the tools help alleviate patient stress, said Faisal Khan, MD, a pulmonologist at Franciscan Health Indianapolis, who helped bring robotic bronchoscopy to Indiana.

“With robotic bronchoscopy, we can get the diagnosis and the stage right away,” Dr. Khan said. “It saves time for the patient and allows us to formulate treatment quicker and reduce a lot of anxiety for the patient.”

Lung Cancer Care Close To Home

When Judith learned she had lung cancer, she was thankful to connect with Dr. Geissen, who is treating patients in northwest Indiana through a RUSH University partnership with Franciscan Health. Having a lung cancer specialist who could perform her surgery close to home “made all the difference in the world.”

“It’s why I chose her,” Judith said. “It was easier for me, easier for my family. It just made a big difference.”

Four weeks after her surgery, Judith was back to walking outside and spending time with her children watching her grandchildren participate in high school sports.

“My granddaughter said, ‘Grandma, they saved your life,’” she said with tears in her eyes. “That really got to me. They really did.”