Using a robot to treat brain aneurysms is feasible and could allow for
improved precision when placing stents, coils and other devices, according to
late breaking science presented at the American Stroke Association’s
International Stroke Conference 2020 . The conference, Feb. 19-21 in Los
Angeles, is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to
the science of stroke and brain health.
Robotic
technology is used in surgery and cardiology, but not for brain vascular
procedures. In this study, Canadian researchers report the results of the first
robotic brain vascular procedures. They used a robotic system specifically
adapted for neurovascular procedures. Software and hardware adaptations enable
it to accommodate microcatheters, guidewires and the other devices used for
endovascular procedures in the brain. These modifications also provide the
operator additional precise fine-motor control compared to previous system
models.
“This experience
is the first step towards achieving our vision of remote neurovascular
procedures,” said lead researcher Vitor Mendes Pereira, M.D., M.Sc., a
neurosurgeon and neuroradiologist at the Toronto Western Hospital, and
professor of medical imaging and surgery at the University of Toronto in
Canada. “The ability to robotically perform intracranial aneurysm treatment is
a major step forward in neuro-endovascular intervention.”
In the first
case, a 64-year-old female patient presented with an unruptured aneurysm at the
base of her skull. The surgical team successfully used the robot to place a
stent and then, using the same microcatheter, entered the aneurysm sac and
secured the aneurysm by placing various coils. All intracranial steps were
performed with the robotic arm. Since this first case, the team has successfully
performed five additional aneurysm treatments using the robot, which included
deploying various devices such as flow-diverting stents.
“The expectation
is that future robotic systems will be able to be controlled remotely. For
example, I could be at my hospital and deliver therapy to a patient hundreds or
even thousands of kilometers away,” Mendes Pereira said. “The ability to
deliver rapid care through remote robotics for time-critical procedures such as
stroke could have a huge impact on improving patient outcomes and allow us to
deliver cutting-edge care to patients everywhere, regardless of geography.”
“Our experience,
and that of future operators of this technology, will help develop the
workflows and processes necessary to implement successful robotic programs,
which will ultimately help establish remote care networks in the future,”
Mendes Pereira said.
Photo: via
AHA/ASA / copyright Roger Boyle
Source: https://myfusimotors.com/2020/02/23/surgeons-successfully-treat-brain-aneurysms-using-a-robot/
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