Clinical testing of AESOP 3000; surgical robot assists minimally invasive surgery

Citation

(1998), "Clinical testing of AESOP 3000; surgical robot assists minimally invasive surgery", Industrial Robot, Vol. 25 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1998.04925cab.009

Clinical testing of AESOP 3000; surgical robot assists minimally invasive surgery

Clinical testing of AESOP 3000; surgical robot assists minimally invasive surgery

Keywords Computer motion, Medical, Robots

Computer Motion, Inc. has announced that its AESOP(R) 3000 robotic endoscope positioning system, which was designed to optimise the robotic arm's performance for cardiovascular procedures, has been successfully tested in designated clinical sites in the USA. The voice controlled AESOP(R) 3000 features a second elbow joint in the robotic arm, which provides additional flexibility and functionality. The AESOP(R) 3000 is an intelligent, surgeon interactive, robotic device that effectively acts as a surgeon's third arm while the surgeon is performing endoscopic surgery. AESOP(R) 3000 utilises Computer Motion's proprietary speech recognition operating system. This allows the surgeon to give exacting voice commands to AESOP(R) as the means of generating precise movement of the robotic arm, thus providing the surgeon with absolute control over the operative field of view, as well as a rock-steady picture from which to perform delicate endoscopic surgical procedures. Due to its unique features and added flexibility, surgeons are now able to perform endoscopic procedures in the thoracic (chest) cavity with a high degree of confidence and effectiveness. Endoscopic procedures allow patients to experience shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times than comparable "open" procedures. Dr Yulun Wang, founder and chief technical officer of Computer Motion, said, "The AESOP(R) 3000 is uniquely designed for cardiothoracic procedures and will provide cardiac surgeons the opportunity to incorporate advanced robotic technology into their surgical practice. Computer Motion is committed to offering surgeons the most technologically sophisticated, effective, intelligent, and interactive robotic devices. The AESOP(R) 3000 is a major step forward in the utilisation of Computer Motion's robotic technology for cardiovascular procedures. Computer Motion firmly believes this technology will ultimately enable truly endoscopic coronary artery bypass graft (E-CABG(TM)) surgery."

Dr Randall K. Wolf, a leading minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgeon at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, has utilised the AESOP(R) 3000 during minimally invasive video assisted coronary artery bypass procedures to facilitate endoscopic harvesting of a patient's internal mammary artery (IMA). Dr Wolf stated, "The thoracic cavity is a new and significant frontier for endoscopic procedures. The extreme precision of microsurgical manoeuvres required of the surgeon during thoracic procedures requires the absolute steady field of view that the AESOP(R) 3000 can routinely provide."

Dr William Mayfield, a leading cardiothoracic surgeon at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia has also utilised the AESOP(R) 3000 for harvesting the IMA and said, "AESOP(R) allows the surgeon to have direct control of the endoscope and a rock-steady image during the procedure, greatly facilitating the endoscopic IMA take down. I was able to see the vascular structures very well." More than 30,000 minimally invasive surgeries have been successfully assisted by AESOP(R) in over 300 hospitals and surgical centres around the world. The AESOP(R) 3000 is pending 510(k) marketing clearance by the Food and Drug Administration. Computer Motion, the world leader in medical robotics, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary robotic and computerised surgical systems for the operating room. The company states that its mission is to enhance surgeons' capabilities, improve outcomes and reduce costs using computers and robotics. The company currently markets the automated endoscopic system for optimal positioning (AESOP(R)), a surgical robot capable of positioning an endoscope in response to a surgeon's verbal commands.

The company is also developing the ZEUS robotic surgical system for new minimally invasive microsurgery procedures, such as endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (ECABG(TM)), and the HERMES operating system for the voice control of medical devices in the operating room. Computer Motion is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the stock symbol RBOT. For more details contact www.ComputerMotion.com.

(Source:BRA)