It will now be much
easier to diagnose lung diseases at Kenyatta National Hospital following the
success of
a ground-breaking procedure at the facility.A team of medics at Kenya’s premier referral hospital employed the
latest technology to obtain samples of tissue from the lungs of a
64-year-old patient, enabling them to make a swift and accurate diagnosis.
This
marks the first time the process, widely known as Transbronchial Lung
Cryobiopsy
(TBLC), has been carried out in a public hospital in Kenya.
A
transbronchial cryobiopsy involves removing large pieces of tissue from the
lung through bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia. Medics say this
minimally invasive process is a safe and effective way of diagnosing potential problems within the
organ.
Dr. Wanjiku Kagima, who heads the Medicine Department led the team of medics
conducting the procedure, explained that the intervention was prompted by a
CT scan revealing a significant mass noted in the patient`s airways.
Other
medics involved in the procedure included Dr Joseph Mutie, a Cardiothoracic
Surgeon,
Dr Peter Waweru, and Dr Naveed Merali, all guest Pulmonologists. The dedicated
team also included Nurses Joan Kagema, and John Ndung’u, as well as three
anaesthetists Dr. Brenda Lasoi, Dr. Gathukia Kinyua and Dr. Hazo Oginga.
“TBLC is a minimally invasive technique allowing biopsy without major surgery.
This innovative technology holds significant promise for accurately diagnosing
various conditions such as Interstitial Lung Diseases and Lung Cancer, while also aiding in
the removal of foreign objects obstructing the airway,” she stated.
A trans
bronchial cryobiopsy procedure usually takes approximately one hour to conclude.
During the procedure, a doctor passes a flexible bronchoscope into the lungs to
examine the airways. To locate the target, the cryoprobe via bronchoscopy,
(technique used to look at your air passages with a small camera that is
located at the end of a flexible tube), is advanced during cryobiopsy. After
freezing the cryoprobe for 3 to 4 seconds, the flexible bronchoscope and
cryoprobe are simultaneously pulled back, followed by immediate inflation of
the endobronchial balloon for hemostasis (the mechanism that leads to cessation
of bleeding from a blood vessel) Dr. Kagima further elaborated, “In the event
hemostasis is not achieved, Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) can be employed to
achieve it, enabling effective debulking.” Debulking refers to the process
where a specialist removes as much of a large mass as possible; to remove
airway obstructions which enables a patient to breathe with ease.
This ground-breaking
procedure promises reduced hospital stays and quicker recovery times compared
to conventional thoracic surgery. This represents a novel approach to patient
management. Kenyatta National Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Evanson
Kamuri CBS, EBS, hailed the team for another interventional milestone. “This is
an internal medicine and institutional landmark. We have attained yet another
achievement in fulfilling our mandate as a top premier referral hospital,” he
said. “I’d like to thank the team of doctors and those assisting them for a job
well done. This confirms that we have the very best of medics and technology at
KNH,” he concluded.