Advancing medical robotic interventions
Stroke is the second most common cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability globally. One in four adults will suffer a stroke in their lifetime. Mechanical interventions, where the blood clot is physically removed from the brain, have clear clinical benefits over pharmaceutical-only approaches in certain patient groups, but the surgical procedure is complex, technically challenging, delicate, and carries inherent surgical risks.
During their time at Wyss Zurich, the Nanoflex team focused on developing and validating their soft robotic medical device system capable of precisely navigating the brain with magnetically-controlled catheters with the long term aim of simplifying and shortening procedure times and reducing the risks related to accessing the brain for interventional stroke treatment. The remote operation capabilities also reduce physicians exposure to prolonged X-ray and enable patients to be treated in local hospitals rather than requiring transfer to larger, specialized centers. This is particularly important for ischemic stroke treatment, as time is a crucial factor in reducing brain tissue damage.
Faculty Mentor
