XCath performs the world’s first public telerobotic mechanical thrombectomy demo

The early-stage medical device company XCath, part owned by Crescent Enterprises, showcased a first-of-its-kind live telerobotic trial for stroke treatment between Abu Dhabi and Korea.

In a presentation at Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week (ADGHW), Dr. Vitor Mendes Pereira, neurosurgery pioneer and Director of Endovascular Research and Innovation at St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada, successfully performed a mechanical thrombectomy procedure from Abu Dhabi on a simulated patient in South Korea. Dr. Pereira performed the surgery live, with a simulated patient situated in Korea, and streamed over a live feed. The surgery was performed within minutes, at low latency and a microcatheter to remove a simulated blood clot in a brain vessel.

Why does it matter?

Time is of the utmost importance in treating stroke patient outcomes, as the patient risks losing more than 2 million brain cells per minute until treatment is administered. Telerobotic surgery enables a way of saving precious time and bringing to bear expertise in remote places around the world, Dr. Pereira told the audience.

By supporting remote minimally invasive procedures, the XCath platform can expand treatment options and improve patient outcomes for acute neurovascular conditions.

How did it work?

The simulated Live Thrombectomy case was conducted during the Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week (ADGHW) 2024 on May 15, 2024, examining the latency and overall performance of the remote setup. Dr. Pereira performed the robotic operation using a robotic controller located in Abu Dhabi, while the silicone model and the bedside unit were situated in South Korea — a distance of 6,949 kilometers from the conference hall in Abu Dhabi. The neurovascular devices used were Stryker AXS Infinity LS, Trevo Trakb21 and Trevo NXT.

Communication between the robotic controller and the bedside unit utilized the standard conference Ethernet connection with the possibility of 5G redundancy rather than dedicated lines. The latency experienced during the procedure ranged from 153 milliseconds to 170 milliseconds, with an average latency of 160 milliseconds. Jitter was measured and found to be imperceptible.

In the session XCath presented the company, navigation challenges, and showcased an overview of its robotic platform. The presentation highlighted the transformative impact of the endovascular revolution for Abu Dhabi institutions, illustrating how advanced robotic treatment can make the UAE a center for transformational clinical outcomes.

On the record

"This successful telerobotic demonstration marks a key validation of our platform's potential to improve treatment of emergent conditions like stroke," said Eduardo Fonseca, CEO of XCath. "As one of the leading advocates for telerobotic technology, Dr. Pereira was able to demonstrate how our technology could be used to transform patients' lives across the globe."

"Today, we witnessed a groundbreaking moment with the world's first telerobotic manual thrombectomy on a model, from Abu Dhabi to Seoul. This pioneering achievement is not just a first, but a crucial stepping stone towards regulatory and industry support, ultimately leading to widespread acceptance and adoption," said Dr. Fred Moll, surgical robotics pioneer and Founder of Intuitive Surgical. "In the field of endovascular care, particularly in stroke treatment where every minute counts, this technology holds transformative potential."

"Successful execution of the world's first telerobotic manual thrombectomy on a model today between Abu Dhabi and Seoul Korea at Abu Dhabi Healthcare Week is a testament to the UAE's dedication to pioneering futuristic technologies," added Neeraj Agrawal, Crescent Enterprises Executive Director. "This remarkable progress from XCath highlights the regions leadership in the global medical arena and Crescent Enterprises commitment to driving innovation in healthcare."