Surgeons complete microsurgery with 'robot hands'

Surgeons from Maastricht University Medical Center have successfully completed the first super-microsurgical procedure using 'robot hands.'

Covered in a presentation at the 26th World Congress of Lymphology in Barcelona, plastic surgeons using a robotic device created by Microsure were able to suture vessels 0.3 to 0.8 millimeters in size. The procedure was on a patient suffering from lymphedema, a chronic condition of fluid buildup.

Currently, the most effective treatment for lymphedema is the microsurgery that connects lymphatic vessels to blood vessels in order to restore the flow of fluid and reduce swelling. However, only a handful of surgeons around the globe are able to complete the difficult procedure due to its need for extreme precision.

Using the Microsure robot, surgeons' hand movements are converted into smaller and more precise movements completed by 'robot hands.' Accompanied by the ability to stabilize any tremors of the surgeons’ hand, the robot improves surgical outcomes by making the procedure more controlled and easier to complete.

"We are very pleased and proud that the first intervention using our robot has been a success, and that the surgeons are enthusiastic," said Raimondo Cau, developer of Microsure. "This proves that our technology is a key breakthrough in improving surgical care. As a next step, we aim to assist surgeons during other types of complex microsurgical procedures like tissue reconstructions after removal of a tumor. Using our device they will be able to perform surgery with better precision and fewer complications."