Prosurgics FreeHand on display at Royal College of Surgeons

Prosurgics' FreeHand, a robotic camera controller for keyhole surgery, will be on display at England's Royal College of Surgeons "Sci-Fi Surgery: Medical Robots" exhibition running 8 September 2009 to 23 December 2009. The exhibition explores medical robotics from sci-fi fantasy to current day reality and future developments.

FreeHand is Prosurgics' latest robotic system launched in February 2009 and already used in seven countries across Europe. In Germany, Clinical Director: CA Dr. Med. Mike Lehsnau, of Havellandklinik Nauen, says of FreeHand: "We are delighted. Our new robotic camera holder, FreeHand is contributing to a shorter procedure time of 20 - 30% of the laparoscopic surgery. It is replacing the camera holding assistant and ensures a rock steady image. In addition to that, communication issues between surgeon and camera assistant belong to the past."

FreeHand is suitable for use in all laparoscopic or minimally invasive procedures. The first colorectal surgeries in the USA were performed earlier this year at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Surgeons Dr Marc Brand and Dr Theodore Saclarides successfully completed three laparoscopic hemi-colectomies using FreeHand.

Dr Brand said: "A laparoscopic colectomy is uniquely challenging in that a wide field of view is required, from the ribs to the pelvis. FreeHand provided visual coverage of the entire area. It also gave me control so that I did not have to interrupt dissection to reposition the camera or tell a person holding the camera what to do; returning control of the camera view to the surgeon allows for the image to lead the procedure instead of follow it. It's like having an extra pair of hands."

FreeHand is an affordable 7kg robotic device that gives surgeons direct control of the laparoscopic camera via a small, lightweight hands-free controller worn on the surgeon's head. Gentle head movements permit precise scope positioning. It provides a rock-steady image and faster surgery after a very rapid learning curve. FreeHand can reduce surgery time, which reduces costs and benefits patients.

Mr Peter Sedman, tutor in minimally invasive surgery techniques at the Royal College of Surgeons, said of FreeHand: "Its simplicity and ease of use should make it accessible to the majority of surgeons and hospitals."

For further information, please visit:
http://www.freehandsurgeon.com

About Prosurgics
Prosurgics is dedicated to pioneering a new generation of innovative but affordable surgical robots. Its range of robotic solutions helps improve patient outcomes and healthcare economics in hospitals around the world. The company's technology portfolio encompasses image guided and tele-manipulator systems, surgical planning and intra-operative navigation.

With offices in the UK (Bracknell), USA (Cupertino, CA) and Germany and a global network of expert distributors, Prosurgics delivers innovative and effective solutions for today's surgeons and hospitals around the world.

Most Popular Now

AI Distinguishes Glioblastoma from Look-…

A Harvard Medical School–led research team has developed an AI tool that can reliably tell apart two look-alike cancers found in the brain but with different origins, behaviors, and treatments. The...

AI Body Composition Measurements can Pre…

Adiposity - or the accumulation of excess fat in the body - is a known driver of cardiometabolic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease...

AI can Strengthen Pandemic Preparedness

How to identify the next dangerous virus before it spreads among people is the central question in a new Comment in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. In it, researchers discuss how...

'Future-Guided' AI Improves Se…

In the world around us, many things exist in the context of time: a bird’s path through the sky is understood as different positions over a period of time, and...

New AI Tool Scans Social Media for Hidde…

A new artificial intelligence tool can scan social media data to discover adverse events associated with consumer health products, according to a study published September 30th in the open-access journal...

Study Finds One-Year Change on CT Scans …

Researchers at National Jewish Health have shown that subtle increases in lung scarring, detected by an artificial intelligence-based tool on CT scans taken one year apart, are associated with disease...

New AI Tools Help Scientists Track How D…

Artificial intelligence (AI) can solve problems at remarkable speed, but it’s the people developing the algorithms who are truly driving discovery. At The University of Texas at Arlington, data scientists...

Yousif's Story with Sectra and The …

Embarking on healthcare technology career after leaving his home as a refugee during his teenage years, Yousif is passionate about making a difference. He reflects on an apprenticeship in which...

AI Tool Offers Deep Insight into the Imm…

Researchers explore the human immune system by looking at the active components, namely the various genes and cells involved. But there is a broad range of these, and observations necessarily...

New Antibiotic Targets IBD - and AI Pred…

Researchers at McMaster University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have made two scientific breakthroughs at once: they not only discovered a brand-new antibiotic that targets inflammatory bowel diseases...

Highland to Help Companies Seize 'N…

Health tech growth partner Highland has today revealed its new identity - reflecting a sharper focus as it helps health tech companies to find market opportunities, convince target audiences, and...