First radial ebus-guided cryobiopsy performed in Odisha at IMS and SUM Hospital-2

Bhubaneswar: In a landmark achievement for the healthcare sector in Odisha, the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital-2, Phulnakhara, has successfully performed the state’s first radial endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided cryobiopsy for a peripheral lung lesion.

The patient, a 75-year-old woman, had been suffering from breathlessness, cough and occasional hemoptysis for two months. A CT scan of the chest revealed a peripheral consolidation in the left lung. Conventional biopsy techniques often faced limitations in such cases, but with the innovative use of radial EBUS combined with cryobiopsy, the medical team obtained high-quality tissue samples.

Histopathology later confirmed the lesion to be of tubercular origin, paving the way for appropriate treatment.

The pioneering procedure was led by Dr. Swadesh Kumar Mohanty, Associate Professor, Pulmonary Medicine, assisted by Dr. Rachita Mohanty and Dr. Surjya Shankar Meher, with crucial support from the Department of Anaesthesia.

“This is not just a medical success, but a major step forward for Odisha in the field of international pulmonary medicine,” said Dr. Mohanty. “Radial EBUS-guided cryobiopsy allows us to reach deeper lung lesions and obtain samples that are superior in quality and diagnostic yield compared to traditional methods.”

With this breakthrough, IMS and SUM Hospital has become one of the few centers in India to adopt this highly specialized technique, opening new avenues for the diagnosis and management of complex lung diseases in the state.