Vascular Interventional Robots: The Future Partner Of Vascular Interventional Surgeons

During the past year, the competition in the field of domestic vascular intervention robot is quit drastic. According to data from Frost & Sullivan, the global surgical robot market had reached US$8.32 billion in 2020, of which the technology and market of endoscopic robots and orthopedic robots are relatively mature, occupying a market size of US$5.25 billion and US$1.39 billion respectively.

In contrast, vascular intervention robots are an emerging field. For example, the penetration rate of robotic surgery in the vascular intervention field in the United States is only about 0.5%.

Although it has just begun, but based on the huge market demand, the market size of China's vascular interventional surgery robots will increase from RMB 34 million in 2022 to RMB5.824 billion in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 90.3%.

Vascular interventional surgery refers to the use of puncture needles, guide wires, catheters and other instruments for diagnosis and treatment through blood vessels under the guidance of imaging equipment such as DSA System.The operation has the characteristics of less trauma, quick recovery and precise treatment, and has replaced surgery as the preferred treatment method in some fields.

But There are several obvious problems, such as:

1. Medical staff need to be exposed to X-rays for a long time and must wear lead clothes weighing more than 10 kg.

2. Vascular interventional surgery requires high standards to doctors. It’s difficult to operate, and has a long learning curve.

3. In complicated vascular cases, the operation time is long and complications are prone to occur.

In response to the above pain points, vascular interventional robots emerged as the times require.

Most vascular robots are usually composed of three parts: a propulsion device system, an operating device, and a positioning robot arm. The doctor controls the propulsion device through the rocker or the operation button on the operating table, and realizes the control of advancing, retreating, screwing, changing the direction, and speed of the catheter guide wire on the positioning robotic arm in the operating room, thereby completing the balloon expansion and stent release.

The emergence of vascular interventional surgery robots allows interventional doctors to operate in compartments and get rid of the burden of lead clothing, which has the following advantages:

1. Radiation protection. Experiments have shown that interventional robots can reduce the radiation of doctors by 90% and the radiation of patients by 20%

2. Precise operation, high surgical efficiency and less complications

3. Isolation of doctors and patients, less cross infection

4. Standardized surgery, short learning cycle, and solve the current situation of lack of interventional doctors

CorPath GRX is the only vascular interventional surgery robot in the world that has obtained both CE certification and FDA certification.

At present, in the field of vascular interventional surgery robots in China, there are robotendo, WeMed Medical, Eyebright, MedBot, and etc.. There are no vascular interventional surgery robot has been approved by NMPA yet.

As one of the only five brands of ETcath Vascular Intervention Robot in the world, WeMed Medical has completed many technological breakthroughs. In October 2021, the vascular intervention robot has completed the PCI operation by Professor Zhou Yujie's team in Beijing Anzhen Hospital. The ETcath Vascular Intervention Robot has obtained hundred of  international and domestic patents.

In addition to safety, convenience, and respect for conventional surgical procedures, vascular interventional surgery robots also need to think about functional applications that are superior to traditional surgery, such as multiple imaging modalities, artificial intelligence, augmented reality platforms, haptic or feedback sense at the super bionic level. Occupy the technical high ground of vascular interventional robots and establish its leading position in the robot industry.

The huge market demand for vascular intervention, favorable policies and active capital all indicate that the future of this golden track is a blue ocean.Looking forward to know who will become the star in this field.