World-first robotics procedure carried out in Leicester
Thursday April 29th, 2010
A Leicester cardiologist is the first surgeon in the world to have carried out an operation using a remote robotics system.
Dr André Ng, senior lecturer in cardiovascular sciences at the University of Leicester and consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist, Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester, used the Catheter Robotics Remote Catheter Manipulation System for the first time yesterday (Apr 28) in a heart rhythm treatment procedure.
The system allows
a doctor to carry out a common heart treatment procedure remotely using
a robotic arm.
Dr Ng inserted thin wires, called catheters, into blood vessels at the top of the groin and advanced into the heart chambers.
Electrodes on the catheters recorded and stimulated different regions of the heart to help identify the cause of the heart rhythm.
Once this area is identified, one of the catheters will ablate or "burn" the tissue to cure the problem.
Dr Ng, who is also director of pan-European training programmes on advanced three-dimensional mapping systems and arrhythmia ablation, said the new procedure benefited both patient and doctor.
"Because X-rays are used to allow the doctor to monitor what is going on inside the patient, it means that doctors standing close to the patient wear radiation shields such as lead aprons which are burdensome," he explained.
"The benefit of the Robotics system to the patient is that movement of the catheter could be done with great precision. Benefits to the doctor are that heavy lead aprons would not be necessary as they will be controlling the movements of the catheter using the remote controller at a distance from the patient outside the radiation area."
Dr Ng and his team were invited to be the first to apply the procedure in clinical procedures by US-based Catheter Robotics Inc., which developed the system.
Tags: Heart Health | NHS | UK News
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