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For Immediate Release October 08, 2025

performed the region’s first Ion® robotic-assisted bronchoscopy procedures at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale

SIH achieved another milestone in advanced robotic medicine today as pulmonologist Dr. Gurpreet Bambra performed the first Ion® robotic-assisted bronchoscopy procedures at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. SIH is now the only health system to offer this cutting-edge diagnostic technology in the southernmost 16 counties, which enables physicians to reach small, hard-to-access lung nodules with unmatched precision.

"Early detection means early survival,” said Dr. Bambra. “When lung cancer is found at stage 1, the five-year survival rate is about 85 percent. By stage 3 or 4, that number drops to single digits. Ion helps us find and diagnose disease much sooner, when treatment is most effective."

Lung cancer is often symptom-free until it reaches advanced stages. For years, SIH has led a two-part approach to earlier diagnosis—starting with low-dose CT screening, followed by endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) for lymph-node assessment. The Ion® system represents the third advancement in that continuum, allowing specialists to navigate deep within the lung to biopsy nodules that would otherwise require riskier, more invasive procedures.

"The Ion’s articulating catheter and shape-sensing technology give us a 3D map of the lung in real time,” Dr. Bambra explained. “It bends almost 180 degrees, tracks subtle breathing movements and lets us guide a needle within millimeters of the target. That accuracy means better samples, safer procedures and far less anxiety for patients."

Unlike CT-guided biopsies performed through the chest wall, the Ion® approach is minimally invasive, performed under anesthesia and allows most patients to return home the same day. “It’s done entirely inside the airway, which greatly reduces the risk of bleeding or lung collapse,” Dr. Bambra said. “And importantly, the physician—not the robot—is always in control."

"Introducing the Ion system represents another defining step in our commitment to innovation and access,” said Craig Jesiolowski, administrator of SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. “Our community deserves the same level of advanced care found in major metropolitan centers. By investing in robotic technology like Ion, we’re ensuring patients across Southern Illinois can receive precise, life-saving diagnostics right here at home—without the added stress, distance or delay of traveling outside the region."

For Southern Illinois, where smoking rates and lung cancer incidence are above state and national averages, this innovation has profound impact. “Until now, patients often had to travel to St. Louis or beyond for this level of diagnostic care,” Dr. Bambra noted. “Having the Ion here eliminates that burden. It keeps patients close to home, near their support systems, while giving them access to state-of-the-art technology."

The Ion® launch underscores SIH’s growing leadership in robotics. “Being in rural America doesn’t mean being behind the curve,” said Dr. Bambra. “SIH is committed to delivering the best care possible—head-to-head with the nation’s top centers."