The first robot-guided placement of a coronary stent in a patient in Ireland or Britain has been carried out in University Hospital Galway.
The procedure was performed by consultant cardiologist Prof Faisal Sharif, who described the new technology as a game changer that allowed for greater precision in positioning stents.
Stents, which are used to relieve blockages in the arteries of the heart, can be moved a millimetre at a time using the CorPath Robotic Angioplasty device made by Siemens.
It also allows the medical team to have an enhanced, close-up view of the X-ray images used to check blood vessels.
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The new technology allows interventional cardiologists to use the robot as an extension of their own hand, allowing for robotic precision and detailed visualisation when positioning catheters, guide-wires and balloon/stent catheters, Prof Sharif said.
“Robotic innovation has come a long way in the last decade. The main advantage of robotics is that it is safe and very precise in stent placement. It allows the accurate placement for up to 1mm at a time.”
The use of robotics in the procedure also benefits staff by reducing their exposure to radiation compared to the traditional practice of performing the procedures in a cardiac cath lab.
Chris Kane, general manager, Galway University Hospitals, said the new technology will benefit patients. “Innovations such as this are transforming medicine and will have a significant impact on the future care for patients. This state-of-the-art robotics will enhance patient care for our patients across the west and northwest,” she added.
