Thanks to generous donations, Hywel Dda Health Charities – the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board – has purchased a state-of-the-art probe worth over £46,000 for the respiratory medicine service at Prince Philip Hospital.
Patients from the three counties of Hywel Dda – Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire – are referred to Prince Philip for lung biopsies, and will benefit from the new equipment.
The new Radial EBUS processor is a small and flexible ultrasound probe that is passed down through a bronchoscope, which is a thin tube with a light and camera on it.
The probe can reach areas of the lung which cannot be accessed by a standard bronchoscope. This makes it easier for clinicians to perform a biopsy on parts of the lung which are hard to reach.
The Carmarthenshire Lung Cancer campaign donated £18,000 towards the new probe, and a former patient raised £1,500 towards the expenditure. The remaining £26,500 came from the Cancer Services fund and was raised by lung cancer patients.
Hospital Director Dr Robin Ghosal, a Respiratory Consultant and Lung Cancer Lead, said: “We are so grateful that generous donations from our local communities have enabled us to purchase the new probe.
“Radial EBUS is an advanced diagnostic technique which allows us to sample masses and nodules that are beyond the view of the standard bronchoscope. The new equipment will allow us to diagnose more peripheral lung masses that are too far out for standard bronchoscopy and too far inside the lung for biopsies guided by a CT scanner.
“The new equipment will enhance our ability to diagnose lung cancer, aid earlier diagnosis, and help us achieve better outcomes for patients. It will also provide a safer procedure which reduces the risk of damage to the lung.”
Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, said: “The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”
For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, go to www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk
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