Mazor Robotics, from Israel, has announced that the first robot-guided brain surgical procedures using the Mazor Renaissance platform have been successfully performed. The system, which mainly functions as a guidance system for surgical instruments and implants, is already cleared in the U.S. and Europe for spinal surgery, but Mazor is looking into expanding its indications for brain surgery. The first three cases (no word on what exact procedures were undertaken) were performed at HSK Hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Applications in the brain will be for biopsies, shunt placements and neurostimulation electrode placement such as for deep brain stimulation. In these procedures it will be a viable alternative to the use of stereotactic frames for navigation. According to the company, the robot’s precision, simplicity and safety profile have the potential to increase patient comfort, improve surgical accuracy and provide a less invasive approach, as well as potentially increase utilization of the installed base.
The brain application will be available as an add-on to Mazor’s Renaissance system. It is expected to be available in early 2013 after it has received the necessary blessings of the regulatory bodies. The video below shows the system in action during spinal surgery:
Press release: Mazor Robotics Announces First Brain Cases Using Its Robotic Platform…
Product page: Mazor Renaissance…
