Atlantic Health System's Morristown (N.J.) Medical Center is rolling out a new, minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of advanced lung cancer.
Mark Widmann, MD, director of Atlantic Health's lung cancer program and chief of thoracic surgery at Morristown Medical Center, shared with Becker's what it means to be the first hospital in New Jersey to offer the Aliya pulsed electric field ablation technology through robotic bronchoscopy.
"One of the challenges we've faced in the use of ablation technology is high heat levels in the lung, which have historically been associated with numerous complications," he said. "Many programs have avoided using it regularly due to these risks."
The Aliya platform in April received FDA approval to be delivered robotically through a catheter and bronchoscope into the periphery of the lung, enabling ablation at a lower temperature without incision.
Dr. Widmann said the treatment can be performed as a same-day procedure and is particularly beneficial as an alternative to radiation or for patients whose disease is at an advanced stage.
"We can now access virtually any area of the lung, significantly expanding treatment options for patients," he said. "The procedure is not intended to replace standard treatments like chemotherapy or immunotherapy but to act as an adjunctive local treatment."
Morristown Medical Center began using the technology in the summer and although he has treated only a few patients, Dr. Widmann said the results have been promising. He attributes the lung cancer program's success to the wider support of the health system.
"Implementing this technology requires robust institutional support. We're fortunate to have a comprehensive lung cancer program and a multidisciplinary cancer center capable of handling large patient volumes, which allows us to appropriately select candidates for newer technologies like this," he said. "Though the technology can significantly improve patient outcomes, smaller hospitals may struggle to justify the equipment cost due to lower patient volumes."
Atlantic Health recently made Becker's "100+ hospitals and health systems with great oncology programs" list for 2024.
"This fusion of [ablation and bronchoscopy] is incredibly exciting. When you combine innovations like these, you often see exponential improvements in care delivery," Dr. Widmann said. "It feels like we’re standing on the horizon of something groundbreaking. Now that we've finally reached this point, we’ll see where it takes us, but the possibilities for improving patient outcomes are enormous."