World first robot-assisted procedure a success

The procedure, conducted at Leuven University Hospital by Dr Peter Stalmans and his team, injected a plasmin enzyme using a technique called retinal vein cannulation (RVC).It was the first time such a procedure was made due to the extre precision needed to operate on retinal veins, which are as thin as human hair.{{quote-A:R-W:450-I:2-Q: I am looking forward to what is next. If we succeed, we will literally be able to make blind people see again, -WHO:Dr Peter Stalmans, Vitreoretinal surgeon at UZ Leuven}}Any movent during the risky process of manual injection – which requires 10 minutes of non-stop inoculation of the drug into the affected section of the retina – could damage the vein.Stalmans said the device enabled th to treat the cause of the thrombosis in the retina for the first time.“I am looking forward to what is next. If we succeed, we will literally be able to make blind people see again,” he said.Researchers at the ophthalmology and mechanical engineering departments from KU Leuven developed the robot, as well as a 0.03 millimetre thick needle for the delicate surgical process.The surgeons successfully inserted the micro-fine needle directly into the retinal vein and eliminated vibrations, while the ocriplasmin was administered.{{image3-a:l-w:400}}Professor Dominiek Reynaerts, a professor of mechanical engineering at KU Leuven, said they were proud their robot enabled th to perform eye surgery that was previously impossible.The operation was part of the first trial phase for the technical feasibility of the robot in blood clot procedures.The second phase of trials will start soon and assess the clinical effects of the technique.