The new bronchoscope is designed to reach smaller airways and enable ultrasound-guided tissue sampling in harder-to-access areas of the lungs.
Olympus Corp announced the US launch of a slim diameter endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) bronchoscope that can reach beyond the mediastinal lymph nodes to segmental and sub-segmental airways, expanding the company’s lung cancer diagnosis and staging portfolio.
The BF-UCP190F peripheral EBUS bronchoscope is designed to facilitate biopsy collection from deeper lung regions during endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), a procedure in which specimens are collected using high-resolution, real-time ultrasound imaging to visualize and penetrate a lymph node or lesion with an EBUS-TBNA needle.
EBUS-TBNA offers a less invasive option compared to mediastinoscopy with comparable diagnostic sensitivity in patients with lung cancer. According to Olympus, EBUS-TBNA samples are adequate for next-generation sequencing in 90.3% of cases, supporting personalized treatment planning for patients with lung cancer.
“Extending the reach of EBUS technology beyond the central airway is an important new tool to help interventional pulmonologists diagnose and stage lung cancer with real-time image guidance,” says Thomas Gildea, MD, global lead, medical affairs, respiratory, Olympus Corp, in a release. “This opens the door for deeper access and better understanding of the many pulmonary diseases that can affect patients worldwide.”
Design Features of the BF-UCP190F
The bronchoscope incorporates several design elements intended to expand diagnostic reach:
- Extended reach: A slim outer diameter of 5.9mm at the distal end expands accessibility by reaching farther into segmental and sub-segmental airways compared to the BF-UC190F bronchoscope.
- Expanded access: An upward angulation of 170 degrees—10 degrees wider than the BF-UC190F bronchoscope—a 14-degree forward oblique view angle, and shorter distal end are designed to offer a more straightforward endoscopic image and facilitate access to challenging lung locations.
- Needle compatibility: The BF-UCP190F maintains compatibility with the ViziShot 2 25G EBUS-TBNA needle for real-time sampling.
The device integrates with Olympus’ EVIS X1 Endoscopy System and EU-ME3 Ultrasound Processor.
“As a pioneer in the field of endobronchial ultrasound, Olympus is excited to launch its latest EBUS bronchoscope, which enables pulmonologists to extend their diagnostic reach,” says Seiji Kuramoto, executive officer and surgical and interventional solutions division head at Olympus, in a release. “We are proud of the role Olympus has played in the field of interventional pulmonology, and the BF-UCP190F bronchoscope expands access to deeper lung regions while enabling real-time ultrasound-guided sampling, helping physicians obtain critical diagnostic information to support confident treatment decisions for their patients.”
