From March 3 to 4, 2026, Professor Calvin Ng's team at the Prince of Wales Hospital of the Chinese University of Hong Kong reported a major clinical breakthrough: the team successfully used the Pribain bronchoscopy robot to successfully complete 3 cases of robotic bronchoscopic cryoablation of lung nodules, and all of them successfully reached the lesions.

Equipped with 3D Imaging DT technology that integrates deep imaging, the Pulibaichuan bronchoscopy robot updates lesion location in real time during surgery and confirms that the tool is inside the lesion, overcoming the clinical challenge of "CT to body divergence" and significantly improving the accuracy of doctors' lesion access and diagnostic efficiency.

Case Review

The powerful combination of the Pulibaichuan bronchoscopy robot and the Guided Medical Red Sleeve Knife® has successfully tackled three challenging cases of pulmonary nodule ablation with high precision.

Faced with three patients with complex conditions and unusual lesion locations, the surgical team utilized the seamless collaboration between the PriliBaiChuan bronchoscopic robot and the Red Sleeve Knife® to achieve integrated diagnosis and treatment. They completed preoperative positioning and intraoperative adjustments with high precision, achieving complete ablation of the lesions. Postoperatively, the patients' vital signs were stable, and the surgery was a complete success.

Patient and surgical overview

Patient 1: 66 years old, with a 10.3mm solid nodule in the right upper lobe without bronchial signs, and a preoperative diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma of colon origin.

Patient 2: 66 years old, with a 21.3 mm non-bronchial mixed membranous hyalinous nodule in the left upper lobe, preoperatively diagnosed as adenocarcinoma.

Patient 3: 69 years old, with an 8.65mm solid nodule without bronchial signs in the right upper lobe, preoperatively diagnosed as adenocarcinoma.

Patient 2's preoperative CT images

All three lesions were non-bronchial and located in tricky locations, posing a significant challenge to high-precision intraoperative positioning and instrument access.

Intraoperative real-time navigation and image fusion enable high-precision targeting of extra-airway targets.

During the procedure, the robotic system smoothly navigated to the small airway near the lesion. Due to the difference between preoperative CT images and the real human body, the team used the "3D Imaging DT" function to update and correct the lesion location, effectively overcoming the lesion localization error caused by the difference between CT and the human body.

Utilizing 3D Imaging (DT) technology to update lesion location during surgery

Subsequently, based on the updated data, the system generated an enhanced blue fluoroscopic circle on the C-arm fluoroscopic image, visually overlaying the target area. Following the system's instructions, the surgical team precisely adjusted the endoscope's orientation, successfully aligning it with the lesion outside the airway.

Enable enhanced perspective (blue circle).

Cryoablation achieved high-precision coverage, with complete ablation achieved in all three cases.

After establishing the access channel, the team accurately placed the disposable cryoablation needle into the target location. Once the tool position was confirmed, cryoablation treatments were performed sequentially. Three patients completed multiple cryoablation cycles. Post-operative CBCT scans showed that the ablation area completely covered the lesions, achieving the expected treatment goal.

The patient's vital signs were stable after the operation, and the surgery was successfully completed.

The success of these three surgeries fully demonstrates the significant value of the Pribain bronchoscopic robot in interventional ablation of pulmonary nodules. Faced with complex lesions that are non-bronchial, small in size, and originate from multiple sources, the flexible equipment scheduling and real-time image updates provided strong technical support for the surgical team and accumulated valuable experience for the treatment of more similar cases in the future.

Localization of international technologies and domestic innovation lead to a new revolution in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary nodules.

The successful completion of this surgery fully validates the core clinical value of Pribacare in integrated interventional diagnosis and treatment of lung lesions. As a benchmark product for the domestic production of the Noah Medical Galaxy bronchoscopic robot from the United States, Pribacare deeply integrates cutting-edge international technologies and combines them with the needs of Chinese clinical diagnosis and treatment to complete localization and upgrades. Targeting common clinical pain points worldwide, such as the younger age of lung cancer patients, treatment of elderly patients, postoperative recurrence intervention, and undetermined lung nodules, Pribacare has created a widely adaptable and standardized integrated diagnosis and treatment solution, enabling international medical technologies to be implemented and innovatively applied in domestic clinical settings.

As a new generation of bronchoscopic robots, the PriBaiChuan system features innovative 3D Imaging DT technology. This technology allows for real-time intraoperative updates of lesion location and high-precision confirmation that the surgical instruments are within the lesion, fundamentally reducing discrepancies between preoperative CT scans and actual anatomy, and significantly improving the accuracy of lesion localization and clinical treatment success rates. It also boasts enhanced fluoroscopy and distance quantification capabilities, enabling high-precision localization and quantitative assessment of lung lesions in three-dimensional space. This provides clinicians with highly accurate operational guidance, maintaining the high precision of international technology while breaking through the industry boundaries of traditional bronchoscopy techniques.

This clinical application not only promotes a profound transformation in the field of pulmonary nodule diagnosis and treatment toward the core goal of "achieving high-precision radical cure of lesions while maximizing the protection of patients' lung physiological function and postoperative quality of life," but also contributes a replicable and scalable Chinese solution to the high-precision diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases worldwide through the "international technology + local innovation" model.

About Puli Ark

Tianjin Puli Ark Medical Technology Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Noah Medical Corp. in China. Aiming to usher in a new era of medical robots with next-generation technology, we have launched the new generation Puli Baichuan bronchoscopic robot for early diagnosis and treatment of patients with corresponding indications.

Disclaimer: The content on this platform is for academic exchange among medical professionals only and does not constitute any medical advice. Patients with medical needs should consult a doctor for professional guidance. The technical opinions of medical professionals published on this platform do not represent the position of this company.

Copyright of all content in this article belongs to Puli Ark. Unauthorized reproduction or adaptation in any form is prohibited. Our company assumes no responsibility for any losses caused by improper reproduction or citation of this article and reserves the right to pursue legal action against infringers.