Concept, design and pre-clinical studies for remote control percutaneous coronary interventions

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Interventions
• Medical Robotics
• Interventional Cardiology

Background:

• Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) traditionally involve manual operation at the patient's bedside, exposing operators to continuous X-ray radiation.
• A remote navigation system (RNS) offers a potential solution to improve operator safety, convenience, and procedural precision during PCI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a computer-controlled remote navigation system (RNS) for manipulating devices during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).

Main Methods:

• The RNS features a bedside unit with precise manipulators for guide wires and stent delivery systems, alongside a remote manipulation unit.
• System testing included in vitro wire glass models and in vivo evaluation in a normal coronary sheep model.

Main Results:

• In vitro tests confirmed successful navigation of guide wires and accurate positioning of stents/balloons.
• In vivo animal studies demonstrated the RNS's ability to access coronary branches and position stents effectively without causing vessel trauma.

Conclusions:

• A functional remote control system for percutaneous coronary procedures was developed and validated in preclinical models.
• These findings support the feasibility of remote control PCI and provide a foundation for clinical studies involving remote, stent-assisted PCI.