Surgeon hails robot arm
A NEW robot is about to change and save the lives of stroke patients on the Gold Coast.
In a world first, the Corindus neurovascular robot will be used as an extension of neurosurgeons’ arms at the Gold Coast University Hospital from this weekend.
Under the direction of the Neuro-Interventional Radiology team, the machine will perform minimally invasive endovascular reconstruction surgery.
Previously, the procedure was performed over one to two hours with surgeons using precise hand movements to move wires via the wrist or groin to the brain.
Neuro-Interventionalist Dr Hal Rice said the new robotic arm would allow surgeons to perform the procedure, with similar techniques, but 10m away from the operating room.
“Nothing replaces a good physician but now we can perform procedures 10 metres away while sitting down,” he said.
“Before the robot we were controlling and navigating the wires precisely with hand movements, but with the robot it grabs those wires and catheters, which I am normally pushing in by my own hands.
“We operate and navigate the robotic arm to reconstruct or unblock arteries from an interventional cockpit, which is stationed in a separate area of the operating theatre to protect physicians from daily radiation exposure and fatigue during long and complex treatment procedures.”
The $500,000 neurovascular machine is the first in the Southern Hemisphere. Another system is in Toronto.
The effectiveness of robotic-assisted endovascular embolisation and reconstructive procedures in comparison to traditional manual operation will be evaluated over the next six months.
Dr Rice said he hoped that Corindus neurovascular robots would be distributed to small regional or rural hospitals to improve stroke and brain aneurysm care to all Australians.
“We hope one day we will be able to perform this procedure 2000 kilometres away via 5G to provide timely stroke and brain aneurysm intervention to those who could often have lengthy waiting times up to 14 hours.
“Eventually, we are hoping that with artificial technology robots in 10 or 15 years time will be able to be more autonomous and make decisions and control the treatment of patients.”