Inova Alexandria Hospital First in Region to Use NanoKnife to Target Cancerous Tumors

New Technology Gives Patients With Difficult to Treat Tumors More Options

Alexandria, VA – (April 15, 2011) – Inova Alexandria Hospital is the first hospital in the Washington, DC region to use NanoKnife™ to treat soft-tissue cancerous tumors that are difficult to reach. NanoKnife is a minimally invasive cancer treatment and kills cancerous tumors by targeting electrical energy directly into hard-to-reach tumors.

“NanoKnife is a truly unique cancer treatment that we can use in patients that have few, if any, options,” said Sandeep Bagla, MD, Interventional Radiologist, Inova Alexandria Hospital. “It allows us to precisely target tumors while sparing healthy tissues including nerves and blood vessels, while offering interventional radiologists the next generation in specialized cancer treatment.”

This novel technology, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for soft tissue ablation, is performed by placing needles or probes into a tumor to destroy the cancerous cells. NanoKnife allows patients to not only have other options for cancer care, but is less invasive than traditional surgeries and offers the additional benefit of a shorter hospital stay, usually returning home in the same day.

NanoKnife, along with state-of-the-art imaging, is used by interventional radiologists to guide them in precisely placing electrodes in the tumor. Once the electrodes are inserted, the NanoKnife sends electrical pulses into the tumor, which destroys the cancerous growth.

Interventional radiologists utilize image guidance to perform many minimally invasive procedures in the treatment of cancer, vascular disease, stroke and women’s health.

For more information about NanoKnife at Inova Alexandria Hospital visit inova.org/nanoknife.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.