Massive news in the robotics world with X-Cath - WOW!

If there is one thing that I am 110% excited about… it is this field of neurovascular remote robotics. This is an application of telerobotics that could literally change the game in healthcare. I can’t express my excitement and support of this field. And just now XCath just dropped some massive news !!! I'm reusing a lot of their press release for speed here.

I want to put this into context - with details from XCath’s press release…

“Brain aneurysms remain a critical and highly common health concern that demand technical advances for improved outcomes.

An estimated 6.7 million Americans – about 1 in 50 people – have an unruptured brain aneurysm.

Many of those people show no symptoms or warning signs until the aneurysm ruptures.

Worldwide, aneurysm ruptures cause about 500,000 deaths annually, and half of those victims are under age 50. About half of all aneurysm rupture cases are fatal, and of those who survive, approximately 66% endure permanent neurological damage.

These are seriously important numbers !

“Neurovascular intervention for brain aneurysm requires operating with sub-millimetric precision, demanding exceptional control and consistency,” Dr. Pereira said.

Let that sink in. And those patients literally require a portion of GDP to undergo rehabilitation. These brain pathologies will impact us all at one point in our lives. You may need this - a loved one may need this.

“XCath’s system has demonstrated the potential to enhance human performance and bring a new level of precision to complex neurovascular cases. By standardizing fine movements and decision execution, robotic assistance can help transform even junior or less experienced physicians into consistent, low-risk interventionists—ultimately improving outcomes and minimizing complications.”

So far this has been just a much talked about theory (I remember seeing CEO Eduardo Fonseca talk about this on an SRS panel years ago) - On that panel many experts discussed how this could revolutionise both aneurism and stroke. And many nay sayers said "Nah this will never happen.)

X-Cath dropping this news (way ahead of what I expected) has just brought that dream closer to reality. (Watch the video)

XCath First in Human Panama

They just released this:

“XCath Endovascular Robotic System Successfully Performs its First-In-Human Brain Aneurysm Procedures Neurovascular robotics enables precise intracranial device navigation for treatment of brain aneurysms and other life-threatening endovascular conditions.”

For those that don’t know them yet (you will): XCath, https://xcath.com/products.html are a medical device company dedicated to pioneering neuro-endovascular surgical robotics, announced today the successful first-in-human use of its EVR (Endo Vascular Robotic) system to treat three patients with complex brain aneurysms. That system also has the capabilities to treat stroke victims that require thrombectomy,.

According to their press release: The landmark procedures were performed at The Panama Clinic in Panama City, Panama, led by Vitor Mendes Pereira, M.D., with local principal investigator Dr. Anastasio Ameijeiras Sibauste. It marks the second time in history that a surgical robot has been used in an intracranial neurovascular intervention. With these procedures...

"XCath’s EVR becomes the only endovascular robotic system currently in development that has achieved intracranial navigation or neurointerventional treatment. It is also the world’s first triaxial neurovascular robot to perform treatment."

The physicians navigated the Robotic System precisely through the patients’ brain vessels with sub-millimeter accuracy. They performed three aneurysm treatments using commercially available flow, diverting stents and intrasaccular devices made by different device manufacturers, utilizing standard endovascular access devices throughout the procedures.

Two robotic procedures were performed consecutively in the same operating room over a period of just over four hours. This also marked the world’s first neurovascular robotic procedures with a monoplane angiographic imaging system, further underscoring the EVR system’s efficiency and versatility in adapting to diverse real-world clinical settings.

Not to get too technical here - but this is an important piece of info - it means that most operating environments will be equipped to be able to use the system. It is not going to require super advanced imaging equipment to be bought in. Or major changes to cath labs. And that is important if you want this setting up in more rural settings, or lower income countries.

Panamanian neurosurgeon Dr. Ameijeiras said “These procedures mark a pivotal

milestone in the evolution of neurointerventional care and establish Panama as a leading strategic hub for the development of new medical technologies,” said Panamanian neurosurgeon Dr. Ameijeiras. “By harnessing robotic capabilities, we can broaden global access to advanced neurovascular care and bridge care gaps stemming from geography and access.”

Time is brain…

If you look at the video - the physician is sat in a control room away from the patient. So in effect it is technically “remote” and telerobotic. But now just let’s make that wire 600 Km long. Bingo - and in my mind... that is where this is heading.

First phase - bring repeatable, sub millimetre precision and navigation to all Cath labs. Remove variability and bring predictability to these procedures.

Second phase - (what I think will be a game changer) - now do that at distance with telerobotic capabilities. And that changes things. It changes the time needed to get an expert to the brain and fix the aneurism or do a thrombectomy!

You see if you have a bleed or a thrombus - you brain is getting damaged - and time counts. The longer you have the situation, the more brain gets damages and more cognitive function gets lost. Time is Brain.

In many rural settings the local hospital does not always have the skills of an operator to conduct such procedures. And that means patients get blue light rushed or air ambulanced to a site of care - often hours away.

I think - In the first phase the idea would be to bring more precision and control locally to help upskill local teams and get better results. But that still would not allow availability everywhere. And not every team can reach the skill level needed for the most difficult cases.

That could still mean from deep rural areas people still travelling a few hours to get to the operator that can treat them.

Instead imagine that the operator from a major teaching hospital, the top interventionlist- can connect via telerobotics to a more rural setting and bring the much needed skills to the patient - cutting hours of time for the patients.

If we can do that - it is literally a game changer for millions of people - and has an actual impact on societal spend in so many ways.

I often get asked "So what's thje point of telerobotics?" - well if you want one massive - impactful application - Xcath may have just given us a hint of it.

Of course this is a long road - with a lot of questions to be answered, infrastructure to be srted and "how" to be workd out. But you need to start somewhere - and I think that is what you just watched.

First step - get the damned robot to work - and well… X-Cath have just done that.

If this doesn’t get your pulse racing and get you excited and cheering them on…

These are just opinons of the author based on the public press release and imagining what this could be in the future. it is for eduactional purposes only.