World's first robot arm heart surgery planned

An expert at University of Leicester is going to conduct the world's first robotics system operation at Glenfield Hospital Leicester.

Dr Andre Ng, Senior Lecturer in Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester and Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester, is the first person in the world to carry out the operation remotely on patients using this system.

He will use the Catheter Robotics Remote Catheter Manipulation System for the first time in a heart rhythm treatment procedure.

The system is unique as it allows a doctor to carry out a common heart treatment procedure remotely using a robotic arm.

These procedures involve inserting thin wires, called catheters, into blood vessels at the top of the groin and advanced into the heart chambers.

Electrodes on the catheters record and stimulate different regions of the heart to help the doctor identify the cause of the heart rhythm problem which usually involves an abnormality in the electrical wiring system of the heart.

After this area is identified, one of the catheters will be placed at the location to ablate or "burn" the tissue to cure the problem.

"The new Robotic procedure is an important step forward because, while some procedures are straightforward, others can take several hours. 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. Protracted procedures can lead to clinician fatigue and high cumulative radiation exposure," said Ng.

"The benefit of the Robotics system to the patient is that movement of the catheter could be done with great precision. It is anticipated that further developments of the system may allow complex procedures to be made more streamlined.

On the other hand, benefits to the doctor are that heavy lead aprons would not be necessary as he / she will be controlling the movements of the catheter using the Remote Controller at a distance from the patient outside the radiation area and that he / she can be sitting closer to the monitors displaying electrical signals and x-ray images as opposed to standing at some distance across the room from them which is current practice," he added.