Above, team at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital — San Marcos completed the hospital’s first EBUS procedure. Photo courtesy of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital — San Marcos
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos performs its first EBUS procedure
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital - San Marcos recently performed its first Endo Bronchial Ultrasound procedure.
The hospital said its first EBUS procedure is a part of its effort to provide the most up-to-date and innovative care for patients.
“This is exciting for the San Marcos community,” said Thomas McKinney, president of the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos. “We are fully committed to providing the best care for our patients, so we are thrilled to be able to diagnose and treat various illnesses in a minimally invasive approach. This exemplifies the innovative health care we are dedicated to providing to our patients, so you don’t have to go anywhere else to receive the best care.”
An EBUS procedure is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that obtains samples from enlarged lymph nodes and masses in the lung to diagnose diseases such as lung cancer, infections and other conditions.
“This procedure allows our team to gather information quickly, provides better quality care for the patient, and helps us diagnose certain conditions without the need for a more invasive surgical approach,” said Dr. Chinthaka Bulathsinghala, pulmonologist for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos.
Pulmonologists perform the procedure when abnormalities are detected in a patient’s chest through a CT scan. The EBUS procedure allows physicians to diagnose and determine what stage the lung cancer may be in.
CHRISTUS said the EBUS bronchoscope uses a flexible tube with a video camera and an ultrasound probe attached. The camera, which is inserted through a patient’s mouth, goes into the windpipes and lungs through breathing tubes. Physicians are able to collect samples from the patient’s lungs and enlarged lymph nodes during the procedure with a small needle. CHRISTUS added that the procedure takes approximately an hour to complete.
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos is located at 1301 Wonder World Dr. For additional information on CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, visit www.christussantarosa.org.
