Surgeons perform world’s first robotic transatlantic thrombectomy

• Surgeons from Scotland and the US successfully performed what is believed to be the world’s first robotic transatlantic thrombectomy.

• University of Dundee’s professor Iris Grunwald performed the remote thrombectomy — the removal of blood clots after a stroke — on a human cadaveric model located at the IGTRF from Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida.

• Using a cutting-edge robot Grunwald proved that a blood clot could be removed from the brain without a specialist being physically present when she performed the procedure from a remote site within the School of Medicine at Ninewells Hospital.

• A platform developed by Lithuanian MedTech company Sentante uses standard guidewires and catheters connected to a device equipped with a high-resolution sensory system that captures the specialist’s hand movements. These manipulations are replicated in real time by a robot at the patient’s bedside.

• Unlike joystick-controlled surgical robots, this platform delivers authentic force feedback directly to the surgeon’s fingertips – recreating the tactile experience of manual surgery.

• There are about 15 million strokes reported worldwide every year.

• Thrombectomy is considered the most effective way to treat patients with stroke caused by a large, blocked brain vessel but, in many parts of the world, less than 1 per cent of patients receive this life and brain-saving treatment. 

• One of the major constraints to expanding thrombectomy services is the number of interventional neuroradiologists required to carry out the work. 

• By the time patients reach a specialist centre, there is often no brain left to save. Every six minutes delay in receiving treatment equates to a 1 per cent lesser chance of a good outcome.

• Tele neurointervention will decrease the gap and further the reach to provide thrombectomy to more people.