Surgeons in Dundee, Scotland, and Miami, Florida, can take joint credit for a surgical milestone. Based on the partnership, Sentante’s Robot Surgeon platform enabled the surgeons to successfully perform the world’s first transatlantic stroke surgery. This innovative and first-of-its-kind procedure was a thrombectomy performed on a human cadaver. It’s a huge step forward in the treatment of stroke patients.
Dundee’s Professor Iris Grunwald, who operated remotely, guided the surgery with a steady hand. Simultaneously, Dr. Ricardo Hanel, an accomplished neurosurgeon in Florida, performed the first of its kind procedure successfully. The operation took place over 4,000 miles away! This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the impact of Sentante’s robotic technology to remove geographical barriers to life-saving medical treatment.
The robot works by mimicking the surgeons own movements, enabling surgeons to perform intricate surgeries from almost anywhere in the world. This new capability has the potential to transform the delivery of care for stroke. It will be particularly useful in areas with reduced availability of highly trained specialists.
Prof. Grunwald underscored the need for early intervention in stroke patients. She stated that “every six minutes delay, you have a 1% less chance of having a good outcome.” This statistic paints a daunting picture of the race against time when getting treatment, which illustrates the potential impact of technology that can provide faster care.
In Scotland, thrombectomy services are currently available only in a few locations: Dundee, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Sentante’s robot is a promising development that would bring expert stroke treatment to far more people living outside these urban areas.
Fortunately, the technology now provides a different approach that liberates you from the shackles of where you live. Prof. Grunwald noted that this innovation helps students escape that stagnant brain feeling by saving those critical minutes of time. This simple statement underscores the tremendous potential such advancements hold for improving patient outcomes.
Additionally, the experiment was conducted using a fluid very similar to human blood. To make the testing conditions as realistic as possible it was performed on four different cadavers. Prof. Grunwald and Dr. Hanel were able to remotely supervise the surgery through live X-ray feeds. This arrangement gave them the unique opportunity to monitor the process in real time.
With the robot, Prof. Grunwald was able to learn how to operate the robot in only 20 minutes. The flow for this cutting edge technology couldn’t have been more smooth and effective. This user-friendly experience may lead to faster adaptation from other healthcare providers.
Edvardas Satkauskas, a representative from Sentante, remarked on the potential of this technology, stating, “Sometimes, the future is way closer than we think.” His statement illustrates just how far we’re pushing the envelope with today’s medical miracles, and what it means for practices of tomorrow.
The technical success of this first-in-human remote thrombectomy creates the potential for additional research and clinical use. As their next work develops, the team is hopeful about entering clinical trials sometime next year. Their participation now could set the stage for greater adoption of this innovative technology.
With the rapid advancement in technology, healthcare is changing as we know it. As the partnership between Dundee and Florida shows, creative solutions can lead to better patient care, no matter the distance. With a focus on minimizing treatment delays, Sentante’s robotic system has the potential to revolutionize stroke management and improve outcomes for patients globally.
