Thanks to generous donations, patients in the Lehigh Valley suffering from previously inoperable liver or pancreatic tumors now have a leading-edge treatment available to them at St. Luke’s University Hospital-Bethlehem.
St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem (FILE PHOTO)
Donors have contributed $125,000 toward the purchase of a NanoKnife, a device used in a minimally invasive procedure that targets and kills hard-to-reach tumors.
“The NanoKnife allows us to treat tumors that are in a problematic location, such as those located in proximity to major blood vessels or bile ducts that could be life-threatening if damaged,” explained Darius Desai, MD, Section Chief of Surgical Oncology for St. Luke’s University Health Network. “We now can destroy tumors in their place. Studies show that when you combine this surgical technology, along with chemotherapy, patient survival rates improve significantly.”
Dr. Desai and Roderick Quiros, MD, a St. Luke’s Surgical Oncologist who will also use the NanoKnife to treat tumors in the liver and pancreas, received training in the use of the NanoKnife at the University of Louisville Hospital.
“I’m truly grateful to donors who are interested in helping us acquire the latest technology that allows us to provide the best treatment possible for our patients,” Dr. Desai said. “Patients no longer have to travel to large city hospitals to get treatments with the NanoKnife. It’s right here at St. Luke’s thanks to the generosity of individuals who want our hospital to remain on the leading edge of quality patient care.”
Note: This story was contributed by St. Luke’s University Health Network. Its publication is part of a health news partnership between Saucon Source and SLUHN.
