Overview

• In a randomized trial of 78 patients with 127 small peripheral lesions, shape-sensing robotic bronchoscopy integrated with cone-beam CT achieved an 84.6% diagnostic yield versus 23.1% with conventional bronchoscopy.
• When used after a non-diagnostic conventional procedure, the robotic approach secured a diagnosis in about 93% of cases.
• A retrospective cohort comparison showed higher yields with the robotic platform (89.3%) than with virtual navigation bronchoscopy (47.4%) or electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (45.5%).
• Adverse events were comparable across platforms, with pneumothorax reported at 1.4% for the robotic approach, 0% for virtual navigation and 8.5% for electromagnetic navigation.
• The studies reported 68 lung cancers including 50 stage IA, while adoption is constrained by cost (about €1 million upfront and ~€2,000 extra per procedure), limited availability in Europe, and the preliminary status of ERS poster data pending peer review.