The University of Hong Kong has developed a neurosurgical robotic system for medical surgery

BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) According to Hong Kong's "Wen Wei Po" news, Parkinson's disease is the second most popular neurological disease in the world, and it is estimated that there will be more than 8.7 million patients by 2030. The first one can be stereoscopically positioned in the head coil of an MRI scanner. Under the influence of the magnetic field, it can ensure that the operation can be performed more accurately, safely and effectively, benefiting a large number of Parkinson's disease and other related brains. Department of disease patients.

The team led by Guo Jiawei (middle) developed a new neurosurgical robotic system, the world's first brain surgery in the MRI head coil. Photo courtesy of the University of Hong Kong

The team was led by Guo Jiawei, an assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Engineering, and the brain surgery group of the Chinese University of Surgery participated in clinical validation. The robotic system was recently awarded the best meeting at the International Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 2018 International Robotics and Automation Conference. Paper award.

It is reported that the medical community currently uses deep brain stimulation surgery (DBS) and other methods to try to target the brain's specific small range of brain cell diagnosis and treatment. Deep brain stimulation is similar to a cardiac pacemaker. By implanting electrodes, the electrical signal is transmitted to a specified range deep in the brain, which is highly accurate and can help restore normal nerve cell activity while avoiding damage to surrounding brain tissue.

However, the existing surgery can only aim and locate before surgery, lack of real-time monitoring. After the doctor perforates the patient's skull, it may deform and shift the brain tissue, greatly reducing the positioning accuracy. Therefore, the operation generally only performs local anesthesia for the patient, so that it stays awake while the brain is open, and the doctor interacts with the dialogue to ensure that the electrode placement process is correct.

The neurosurgical robot system developed by the team of the University of Hong Kong was developed for the relevant situation. They abandoned the common electromagnetic motor and designed a hydraulically driven remote operating system for the robot that is compatible with MRI with a strong magnetic field without interfering with each other. Through the new system, the patient can be anesthetized and implanted in the left and right brains in a minimally invasive manner. The doctor can perform MRI scan imaging while performing the operation and accurately grasp the operation position in real time.

The research team also designed a robotic arm that can simultaneously perform precise surgery on the left and right brains, and developed advanced 3D tracking markers to help the robot system locate in real time and quickly in MRI, making brain surgery safer, more accurate and more effective. The direction is an important step.

In addition to its application in brain surgery, the research team pointed out that the core technology of the robotic system is expected to be applied to other MRI navigation procedures, such as cardiac catheterization, prostate or breast biopsy, and more clinical research will be carried out to determine the system. Efficacy in related fields.