Quirónsalud Marbella Hospital implements a pioneering technique to obtain lymph node biopsies of the mediastinum
A few days ago, the specialists of our hospital successfully performed the first procedure using this lung cancer diagnostic technique which is at implementation stage in Spain.
The Pulmonology Unit of the Quirónsalud Marbellahas implemented an innovative technique in the medical centre that improves the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. It is known as Ultrasound-guided TMC. A few days ago, the specialists of our hospital successfully performed the first procedure using this lung cancer diagnostic technique which is at implementation stage in Spain. "US TMC (Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Mediastinal Cryobiopsy) is a new tool supported by clinical evidence that allows for better outcomes to be obtained in comparison to conventional techniques. One of the main advantages is that larger and better-quality tissue samples are obtained in comparison to other biopsy techniques, such as needle biopsy. This factor is especially important for the area of the mediastinum, where the organs and structures are hard to reach and tumours are often small and located in deeper areas", explained Pulmonologist María Martín Benavides.
Ultrasound-guided TMC uses cryotherapy, which employs extremely cold temperatures to obtain tissue samples of the mediastinum with the help of an endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscope, i.e., a thin flexible tube equipped with ultrasound technology, which is run through the patient’s airways. Once the area is located and the tissue sample is taken, the probe is removed and the sample sent for pathological analysis.
Ultrasound-guided TMC is becoming an extraordinary medical tool in the assessment of a wide variety of diseases of the mediastinum (lung cancer, lymphoma, sarcoidosis and other benign and malign conditions). In the case of lung cancer and, especially, in lymphomas, the size of the sample obtained is usually enough to diagnose a disease. "This circumstance is of great benefit for the patient as the need to undergo a subsequent surgical procedures to confirm the existence of cancer becomes reduced – explained the head of the Pulmonology Unit of Quirónsalud Marbella, Doctor José María Ignacio García, who highlights also the good level of tolerance of patients – The procedure is performed under sedation and the patient can go back home only a few hours after the procedure, which takes place at the Outpatient Hospital, so it does not require hospital stay".
The first patient to undergo the US TMC procedure at out hospital was a 65-year old male who was suspected of having a lymphoma and was prescribed this technique in order to obtain a precise diagnosis of the disease. The samples obtained confirmed the presence of the tumour.
