Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC)
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Video: Argon Plasma Coagulation
Argon Plasma CoagulationArgon Plasma Coagulation
Listen to Dr. Mark Lund explain the process and advantages of Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC). A form of electrosurgery, APC is used to treat tumors and lessen bleeding caused by cancer.
Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) is a form of electrosurgery used to treat tumors of the lung and esophagus, among others. It is also a non-invasive way to alleviate symptoms of cancer, such as excessive bleeding.
APC is often administered through a tube that is placed through a natural opening, also known as an endoscopic procedure. During APC, a jet of ionized argon gas is passed through a probe. Once the argon gas is sparked, or electrified, it turns into plasma. This plasma is sprayed toward the tumor, never touching the tumor itself. Since the plasma doesn’t contact the tumor directly, there is less bleeding of the tumor and surrounding tissue.
Some tumors that are too large cannot always be properly treated with radiation or surgery. In these instances, APC can be used to help de-bulk a tumor, making it easier to treat.
APC is also used in conjunction with other forms of surgery to coagulate (clot) blood near treated areas.
Interventional Pulmonology
- Airway Stent removal, modification and maintenance (for stents placed by previous physicians)
- Airway Stents
- All Digital: Portable Fluoroscopy and X-Rays
- Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC)
- AuroLase® Therapy
- Autofluorescence Bronchoscopy / Fluorescence Bronchoscopy
- Balloon Bronchoplasty
- Brachytherapy (see High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy )
- Bronchoscopy
- Cardiopulmonary Services
- Cryotherapy
- CT Angiography
- CT Respiratory Gating
- Embolization
- Endobronchial Brachytherapy
- Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS)
- Endobronchial Valve
- Fiducial Marker Placement
- Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA)
- HAST Testing-High Altitude Simulation Studies
- High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy
- Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter Placement
- Interventional Angiography
- Interventional Pulmonology
- IVC Filter Placement
- Kyphoplasty
- Laser Bronchoscopy
- Lobectomy
- Lung Biopsy
- Lung Capacity Studies
- Lung Nodule Analysis
- Medical Pleuroscopy
- Navigational Bronchoscopy
- Nd: YAG Laser
- PDT with cold laser tumor-specific tissue destruction
- Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
- PICC Lines
- Pleurodesis (with chemotherapy or talc) / Pleuroscopy
- Pneumonectomy
- Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT)
- Quantitative Ventilation Perfusion Studies
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
- Respiratory Gating
- Rigid Ventilating Bronchoscopy & Flexible Bronchoscopy
- Segmentectomy
- Full Service Sleep Center at Eastern (also see Sleep Lab at Southwestern)
- Sleep Medicine (see Sleep Center at Eastern, or Sleep Lab at Southwestern)
- SpyGlass™ (Cholangioscopy)
- Super-Dimension GPS Bronchoscopy
- Thoracentesis
- Thoracentesis and Pleural Biopsy
- Thoracic Surgery
- Thoracotomy
- Thrombolysis
- Transbronchial Needle Aspiration
- Vertebroplasty / Vertebral Ablation (see Kyphoplasty)
- Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS)
- X-Ray
