Monarch Robotic Bronchoscopy Platform at Henry Ford Allegiance Health

Henry Ford Allegiance Health is the first hospital in south central Michigan to launch a groundbreaking robotic cancer technology for the benefit of patients across the region. The MONARCH® Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy Platform empowers physicians with greater reach, vision, and control when performing lung biopsies. These advantages are especially valuable for diagnosing lung cancer in patients with small, difficult-to-reach masses before the cancer can spread.

“Every year, lung cancer claims more lives than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined. Early detection is key,” says pulmonologist Anish Wadhwa, MD, who along with thoracic surgeon Mohan Kulkarni, MD, are the regional physician champions of the new robotic-assisted technology. “The MONARCH® Platform’s advanced robotic technology will not only further elevate the standard of care we offer our patients, but it will also transform our ability to diagnose and treat lung cancer earlier, and as a result, save more lives.”

When a physician discovers a small mass or nodule on a patient’s lung, a biopsy is needed to determine if the mass is cancer. This diagnostic procedure, called a bronchoscopy, allows the physician to look directly into a patient’s lungs and airways. Lung nodules can be very small and located in hard-to-reach areas of the lung, making them a challenge to reach with traditional manual bronchoscopes. The MONARCH® Platform, with its robotic-assisted bronchoscopy, provides greater precision and cutting-edge navigation to help the physician reach these small nodules. The robotic-assisted bronchoscopy is fully controlled by the physician.