Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi launches Middle East's first robotic bronchoscopy for early lung cancer diagnosis

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has become the first hospital in the Middle East to introduce robotically assisted bronchoscopy, a technology that allows doctors to biopsy tiny, hard-to-reach lung nodules that are often the earliest visible signs of lung cancer without the need for open surgery.

The hospital said the MONARCH™ platform guides a flexible endoscope deep into the lungs with greater stability and precision, enabling physicians to collect tissue samples from small nodules in real time. The technology is expected to improve the accuracy of diagnosis at an earlier stage, helping doctors decide on treatment sooner.

The minimally invasive procedure is performed under general anaesthesia and typically takes between 30 and 75 minutes.

Beyond supporting the early detection of Stage 1 lung cancer, the platform can also be used to diagnose lung nodules caused by cancers that have spread to the lungs, as well as benign lung nodules, tuberculosis and inflammatory lung diseases.

According to the hospital, Stage 1 lung cancer has a five-year survival rate of more than 70%, underscoring the importance of identifying suspicious nodules as early as possible.

The introduction of the robotic bronchoscopy platform has been supported by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi as part of wider efforts to expand the use of advanced medical technologies and strengthen early detection and diagnosis across the emirate.

Dr Georges-Pascal Haber, Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said the technology would improve diagnostic accuracy while reducing the need for more invasive procedures.

"By investing in advanced technology, we are enhancing diagnostic accuracy while offering patients safer, less invasive care," he said.

Dr Zaid Zoumot, Division Chair of Pulmonary Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's Integrated Hospital Care Institute, said the system enables doctors to access and biopsy lung nodules that were previously difficult to reach.

"We can precisely access and biopsy even the smallest, most difficult-to-reach lung nodules, enabling diagnosis at earlier stages where lung cancer is most treatable," he said.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi said the same robotic platform could also support future procedures to treat lung nodules using ablation, heat or cold therapy, reducing the need for more invasive interventions if those applications become available.

For now, the hospital says the technology's immediate benefit lies in improving access to earlier and more accurate diagnosis, giving doctors another tool to detect lung cancer and other lung diseases before they become more advanced.