Surgeons in Dundee, Scotland, have skillfully joined forces with their colleagues across the pond in the United States to conduct first-of-their-kind stroke surgery. They utilized cutting-edge robotics, signaling a revolution in treating stroke survivors across the globe. The new inguinal hernia procedure represents a truly pioneering experience. The very first human cadaver remote thrombectomy was performed on the Sentante robotics system. This new piece of technology could make huge strides in alleviating catastrophic inequalities in stroke care across the UK.
What’s more, she achieved this incredible milestone completely remotely. This experiment demonstrated that the Sentante robot could be operated with the same catheters and wires that a traditional surgeon would typically use. With a medic by the patient’s side, it’s much faster and easier to snap the appropriate wires onto these robotic arms. This permits fine-tuned management throughout the complete surgical procedure.
“This technology would now provide a new way where you’re not depending on where you live – saving the valuable minutes where your brain is otherwise dying,” said Prof Grunwald.
Well, Florida neurosurgeon Ricardo Hanel made history with that very first neurosurgeon’s hands. As part of this technology’s first-ever transatlantic surgery, Medtronic’s Johnson executed an impressive feat of collaboration and technology. He was physically based in Jacksonville, Florida, but remotely piloting the robot in Dundee. This pioneering work was undertaken by people who donated their bodies to science. All of the participants had died in the last 3 years of the study.
Prof Grunwald was excited about the implications of this technology. She further characterized the operation as feeling like they were experiencing “the first glimpse of our future.”
Recent figures show the shocking disparity in acute stroke care across the UK. In the last year, just 2.2% of eligible stroke patients have received a thrombectomy. Only 1,045 of those patients received medication to dissolve clots. The disparity is compounded even further in rural and remote areas, where access to specialty care is significantly restricted. Juliet Bouverie, chief executive officer of the Stroke Association, highlighted this issue, stating, “For too long, people living in remote and rural areas have been deprived of access to thrombectomy.”
The challenges associated with traditional thrombectomy procedures are twofold: a global shortage of qualified doctors and geographic disparities that affect treatment accessibility. Prof. Grunwald shared a profound observation. As he explained, each six-minute increase in time-to-treatment reduces the likelihood of a positive outcome by 1%.
The Sentante robotics system is concretely positioned to address all these challenges directly. Additionally, it has the power to rebalance access to specialist stroke treatment throughout all areas of the UK. According to Prof Grunwald, the goal of this exciting emerging technology would be to democratise access to high-quality care, no matter where you live.
The successful demonstration has resulted in quite a bit of attention and recognition for Prof Grunwald’s outstanding work. This inspired her own award from Innovate UK for her work on this ground-breaking project. Those initial results were encouraging. Today, the research team is looking ahead to clinical trials next year that will bring this new technology to the bedside and improve stroke treatment.
The medical community is hopeful and excited for the future. This groundbreaking use of robotic-assisted stroke surgery represents one of the most amazing technological achievements and sheds light on the search for more equitable solutions in healthcare. Smart integration of robotics into invasive medical procedures can radically transform patient outcomes. With the right support, it could reimagine how in-stroke care is delivered, especially in rural and underserved areas.