Robotics in percutaneous cardiovascular interventions

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The fundamental technique of performing percutaneous cardiovascular (CV) interventions has remained unchanged and requires operators to wear heavy lead aprons to minimize exposure to ionizing radiation. Robotic technology is now being utilized in interventional cardiology partially as a direct result of the increasing appreciation of the long-term occupational hazards of the field. This review was undertaken to report the clinical outcomes of percutaneous robotic coronary and peripheral vascular interventions.

Areas covered: A systematic literature review of percutaneous robotic CV interventions was undertaken. The safety and feasibility of percutaneous robotically-assisted CV interventions has been validated in simple to complex coronary disease, and iliofemoral disease. Studies have shown that robotically-assisted PCI significantly reduces operator exposure to harmful ionizing radiation without compromising procedural success or clinical efficacy. In addition to the operator benefits, robotically-assisted intervention has the potential for patient advantages by allowing more accurate lesion length measurement, precise stent placement and lower patient radiation exposure. However, further investigation is required to fully elucidate these potential benefits.

Expert commentary: Incremental improvement in robotic technology and telecommunications would enable treatment of an even broader patient population, and potentially provide remote robotic PCI.

KEYWORDS:

• Robotics
• coronary artery disease
• percutaneous coronary intervention
• peripheral arterial disease
• radiation safety

Declaration of interest

E Mahmud has been on the Advisory Board for Medtronic, Corindus; Speakers Bureau for Abbott Vascular, Medtronic, Abiomed, CSI, been a consultant for Corindus, Abiomed, and received research grant support from Medinol, Corindus. MP Patel has been on the Speakers Bureau/been a consultant for AztraZeneca and the Medicines Company, and has been a consultant for Abbott Vascular and Avinger. RR Reeves has been on the Speakers Bureau for Corindus. RD Madder and PT Campbell have received research grant support from Corindus. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed

Additional information

Funding

This article was not funded.