A Da Vinci robotic, on the left, working in sync with the Levita system on the fitting. | Supply: Levita Magnetics
Surgical robotic procedures have gotten more and more extra commonplace every single day. In 2022 alone, surgeons world wide carried out 1.8 million robot-assisted procedures, in line with the Royal Faculty of Surgeons of England. Final month, Levita Magnetics Inc. introduced what it stated was a brand new breakthrough within the discipline: For the primary time, surgeons accomplished a process utilizing two robots in tandem.
The process, a prostate-removal surgical procedure, used Levita’s MARS platform to maneuver inner organs utilizing its proprietary magnetic positioning system. Dr. Jeffrey Cadeddu on the College of Texas Southwestern Medical Middle mixed the MARS (magnetic-assisted robotic surgical procedure) system with Intuitive Surgical‘s Da Vinci SP (single-port) robotic.
Dr. Alberto Navarro-Rodriguez, the CEO and president of Levita Magnetics, stated the concept for the process got here from Cadeddu. It was an thrilling second for Navarro-Rodriguez, who based Levita after stopping his medical follow. He recalled that he hoped to create instruments that might empower surgeons to enhance affected person outcomes.
So, seeing surgeons take this method and innovate new methods to carry out procedures felt somewhat unreal, he stated.
“That’s the great thing about working with world-renowned surgeons. They’ve concepts,” Navarro-Rodriguez informed The Robotic Report. “You present the instruments, they usually discovered a approach of incorporating completely different applied sciences.”
Silicon Valley-based Levita Magnetics secured FDA 510(ok) clearance for its up to date MARS system in 2023. The firm‘s system contains two surgeon-controlled robotic arms. One arm holds and operates the magnetic controller, whereas the opposite holds and controls an endoscope with a digital camera for visualization contained in the affected person.
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Contained in the landmark process
“We had been the primary on this planet to develop the magnetic idea; that’s our power,” asserted Navarro-Rodriguez. “However, in fact, we’re open to collaboration, and that’s what we’re demonstrating right here. On the finish, our aim must be how we enhance outcomes for the affected person.”
Throughout the prostate elimination process, the surgical staff used Levita’s MARS platform to retract tissue throughout the affected person exactly. This will increase visualization, permitting the staff to protect nerves concerned in sexual operate and urinary continence.
The neurovascular bundles accountable for erectile operate and urinary continence are positioned adjoining to the prostate gland. Traditionally, surgeons have struggled to keep away from these bundles throughout prostate elimination.
“Our aim is to enhance visualization,” Navarro-Rodriguez stated. “When you see higher, you are able to do a greater process, since you do higher dissections.”
The Da Vinci SP offered the single-port capabilities required for this complicated urological surgical procedure. The Intuitive Surgical robotic makes an incision in order that surgeons can get contained in the affected person and carry out a process. The MARS system permits the surgeons larger entry and visualization as soon as they’re contained in the physique, eradicating the boundaries that include single-port surgical procedure.
“We offer {our capability} of producing actions that you’re not capable of do with standard devices or standard robotics, as a result of we generate motion by the stomach wall,” famous Navarro-Rodriguez. “So what meaning is the actions which you could generate aren’t constrained by your entry level.”
Surgeons leverage Levita’s expertise
Sometimes, the MARS system is used for frequent procedures which are carried out every single day in excessive numbers, akin to gallbladder, bariatric, and colorectal procedures. With this dual-robot process, Levita stated it has demonstrated that MARS generally is a device for extra complicated procedures and enhance outcomes for sufferers.
“Magnetics allows you, as a surgeon, to supply a process with fewer incisions, since you generate motion utilizing magnets by the stomach wall, so that you don’t should make so many holes within the sufferers,” Navarro-Rodriguez stated.
Along with its less-invasive approach, the MARS system can also be cheaper for hospitals, he added.
“Our robotic dimension is way leaner, it doesn’t use an enormous console,” stated Navarro-Rodriguez. “We deal with how we are able to do the process higher, and that facet for us is lowering the variety of incisions.”
With a a lot leaner robotic, the surgical system is extra accessible on a worldwide scale, he stated.
Levita Magnetics makes plans, considers collaborations
Navarro-Rodriguez stated Levita is “completely” excited by extra dual-robot surgical procedures.
“It’s very rewarding, figuring out that you just’re offering a greater surgical procedure for a affected person, {that a} affected person may have a greater final result with this, and they’re going to go residence earlier with much less incision,” he stated.
Levita Magnetics can also be creating synthetic intelligence that might assist in future procedures.
“We have now a really robust pipeline of AI that we are literally creating,” stated Navarro-Rodriguez. “I’m completely satisfied surgical procedure will probably be an autonomous process. Sooner or later, step-by-step, you’ll begin automating steps of the process.”
Usually, Levita’s targets are to succeed in extra sufferers, create higher outcomes, and carry out surgical procedures quicker within the subsequent 12 months.
“Robotics are very cool, however we don’t should develop robots simply because it’s cool. It actually has to deliver worth to the affected person and to the healthcare system,” Navarro-Rodriguez stated.
