Baptist North Mississippi among first in region to use new lung cancer diagnosis technology

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.”

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.

Baptist North Mississippi, a 217-bed hospital in Oxford, Mississippi, is a regional referral center that offers a variety of services, including cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery, home care and hospice, a 24-hour emergency room, a weight loss center, a heartburn treatment center and a wound care center. In November 2017, the hospital moved into a five-story, 600,000-square-foot-facility that offers expanded services, including a larger emergency department, advanced technology and larger rooms for patients and their families. Since the hospital became affiliated with Baptist in 1989, Baptist has invested almost $700 million into the community. For more information, please call 662-636-1000 or visit northmiss.baptistonline.org.