Less Invasive Relief from Uterine Fibroids
A brand new project in the MED Lab is removal of uterine fibroids through a minimally invasive natural orifice endoscopic approach.
The above video is from MED Lab startup company Virtuoso Surgical, and is an early feasibility study on removing uterine fibroids (in a model made from animal tissues) using the Virtuoso system. Please see the Virtuoso Surgical web page to better understand Virtuoso’s overall robotic system.
The remarkable thing about the above video is that the surgeon had no particular training, and was able to immediately use the system as shown in the video above. This illustrates how natural it is for a surgeon to use the robot; there is essentially no learning curve.
At Vanderbilt, we are working on both enhanced visualization throughout the uterus, and new manipulator designs that can extend the reach of concentric tube robots to new locations, and better remove fibroids. Virtuoso is currently working on other clinical indications for their initial product. Thus, if we are successful in this project at Vanderbilt, Virtuoso might one day offer a Generation 2 or 3 system with uterine fibroid capability. Getting to that point requires open-ended R&D that is beyond the resources of a small startup to pursue. Thus, it is the perfect project for us to work on in the MED Lab at Vanderbilt, and illustrates the synergistic nature of our lab and the startup that originated from our university research.
Related Publications:
L. Harvey, R. Hendrick, N. Dillon, E. Blum, L. Branscombe, S. Webster, R. J. Webster, III, and T. Anderson. A Novel Robotic Endoscopic Device Used for Operative Hysteroscopy. Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, 26(7):1631-1635, 2020.