Endovascular Robots: Current Status and Challenges Facing an Exciting Future

Introduction: With aging populations and improved outcomes IRs are being asked to treat patients with very complex anatomy. A robot increases the accuracy in this area. In addition, prolonged procedures such us complex aortic intervention procedures can last several hours leading to significant dose.

Method(s): Endovascular robots provide reduced occupational hazard, increased dexterity to perform more complex procedures and more importantly remote supervision. Robotics can allow procedures to be performed with the proceduralist remote to a hospital in hospitals where in full-fledged staffing is not possible. A perfect example of where this could be useful is stroke intervention for example.

Result(s): Potential benefits of robotic-catheter steering systems to patients include accurate lesion calculations, precise stent placement, and reduced radiation exposure. Magellan, CorPath, Amigo (catheter precision), Niobe (stereotaxis), and R One (Robocath) are some of the commercial endovascular robots.

Conclusion(s): There is a significant role for endovascular robots. We are still at an early stage in our journey, but there definitely a huge potential. There is still a need to build evidence in this area.

Publication History

Article published online:
09 February 2023