Home Journal List The Pakistan Journal of Medicine and Dentistry Volume-6 Article Details

Neuro-robotics In Pakistan

Abstract

Neurosurgery demands highest degree of accuracy and precision. A surgeon’s dexterity may be tested to the human limit when it comes to negotiating with delicate structures inside cranial cavity. Robotic devices can help surgeons cross these human limits and achieve better precision and less invasiveness. With enhanced accuracy, precision and dexterity it is possible to work through small corridors and trajectories causing minimal injury to the normal brain. Unfortunately however, robotics in neurosurgery is not as advanced as it is in other surgical specialties like gynecology and urology. Several neurorobotic systems have been introduced1 . Most popular use of neuro robotics in neurosurgery is Cyberknife (Accuray, Sunnyvale, California). Cyberknife is a robotic stereotactic radiation system used for stereotactic radiosurgery. It is frequently being used for the treatment of different tumors and vascular malformations. Developing robots to perform microsurgery is a much bigger challenge. Medical robots are classified as either Active or Passive. Active robots are programmed to sense and react to environment. While the passive robot is controlled by surgeon’s input to the device. NeuroArm developed by University of Calgary is one the most sophisticated neuro robotic device with a master slave program performing delicate neurosurgical tasks controlled by a surgeon2 . This has special application in minimally invasive neurosurgery. Similar systems are being developed in other places like Japan. These robots are able to perform tasks as complex as suturing blood vessels. Still a lot is to be done before they are employed on actual patients. Another variety of robots is of semi active devices that provide some guidance to surgeons in performing a procedure. One example is NeuroMate (Renishaw Inc, Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire, United Kingdom) used in stereotactic surgery3 . The use of robotic technology is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years.

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