A local medical team performed the first successful cryobiopsy in Marion County recently, a procedure that diagnoses lung cancer and freezes tissues for easier extraction of cancerous masses in the lungs.
Dr. Andrew Seevaratnam performed the procedure on behalf of HCA Florida Ocala Hospital in February.
“HCA Florida Ocala Hospital is pleased to announce that Dr. Andrew Seevaratnam, a board-certified pulmonologist, successfully performed the first cryobiopsy in Marion County,” reads a statement from the hospital.
In conjunction with robotic bronchoscopy, the procedure is utilized to diagnose lung cancer. According to the hospital, a cryo probe freezes the tissue, which allows for reasier extraction of lung masses. That generally produces better tissue samples for pathologists to examine and correctly diagnose.
Dr. Chukwuyem Obia, a local pathologist, was part of Dr. Seevaratnam’s surgical team.
“There are so many new targeted therapies to treat lung cancer. We need larger and better-quality tissue samples to diagnose, while also giving medical oncologists the information they need to treat the cancer,” said Dr. Seevaratnam of the procedure.
According to an online medical profile, Dr. Seevaratnam has been a partner at Ocala Lung & Critical Care for over a decade and a half. The local doctor said he believes the new procedure will help future patients.
“This technology enables us to sample peripheral lung nodules and areas that are difficult to reach with standard biopsy techniques. It also helps to diagnose interstitial lung disease. We will absolutely be utilizing the technology for this procedure with future patients.”