Chicago City Wire

Tonni Richard, a retired nurse from LeClaire, Iowa, discovered a neuroendocrine tumor in her lung after experiencing persistent muscle spasms during Pilates classes. Following a CT scan at her local hospital, she was advised by a thoracic surgeon to have the entire lower lobe of her lung removed, which would have resulted in the loss of about 20% of her oxygen capacity.

Unsatisfied with this recommendation, Richard sought alternative options and found Dr. Kalvin Lung, a thoracic surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute in Chicago. Dr. Lung specializes in procedures that aim to preserve as much lung tissue as possible.

Dr. Lung used new technology that converts CT scans into 3D models and integrates them directly into the console of the da Vinci 5 surgical robot. This allowed him to view Richard’s tumor and surrounding anatomy in real time during surgery without looking away from the console.

“When a normal CT scan is performed, it doesn’t give us all the details of the lung’s anatomy. For example, it’s kind of like looking at ‘Google Earth’ from far away — you can see the state of Iowa, but you can’t make out any cities,” explained Dr. Lung. “When we’re sitting at the robot with this new 3D technology, it provides us with remarkable precision, allowing us to remove the tumor while saving most of the lung. In Tonni’s case, her tumor was in a segment of the lung where surgery isn’t commonly done, and that’s why the 3D technology was so instrumental.”

Richard became the first patient at Northwestern Medicine to undergo this procedure using integrated 3D modeling on September 30. As a result, only 5% of her lung was removed rather than an entire lobe.

“I’m so lucky to have found the tumor when I did, and even more lucky to have found Dr. Lung at Northwestern Medicine who helped preserve my lung and my oxygen capacity,” said Richard. “I hope my story encourages others to seek a second opinion when they aren’t satisfied with the answer, and to undergo annual lung cancer screenings if they qualify."

Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers in America according to national statistics; it causes more deaths annually than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual screenings for adults ages 50-80 who have significant smoking histories or quit within the past 15 years.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital's pulmonology and lung surgery program has been ranked highest in Illinois for fourteen consecutive years and currently holds seventh place nationally.

For additional information about pulmonary care or screening guidelines visit nm.org/pulmonary or call 312-695-1800.