Hansen Medical®, Inc., the global leader in intravascular robotics, today announced the completion of the world's first robotically-assisted radioembolization procedures for cancer treatment.
The procedures, utilizing the Magellan Robotic System, were performed by Interventional Radiologists Dr. Francis Schlueter at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, OH and Dr. Ripal Gandhi at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute in Miami, FL. While the Magellan Robotic System has been used extensively in interventional Transarterial Chemoembolization, or TACE procedures, these procedures represent the world's first reported uses of the system in radioembolization procedures.
Radioembolization is a catheter-based procedure for cancer treatment in which radioactive particles are delivered to a tumor through the bloodstream for the treatment of primary liver cancer and metastatic colon cancer. In the U.S., approximately 80,000 people per year die from these cancers. In radioembolization, tiny glass or resin beads called microspheres are placed inside the blood vessels that feed a tumor in order to deliver lethal radiation to the cancer cells. Once these microspheres containing the radioactive isotope yttrium Y-90 become lodged at the tumor site, they deliver a high dose of radiation to the tumor with general sparing of normal tissues.
"Many patients who suffer from primary liver and metastatic colorectal cancer may benefit from radioembolization therapy, and the Magellan Robotic System offers important benefits in these procedures," said Dr. Schlueter. "The stability and navigability of the Magellan Robotic System are critical features in these types of procedures that require precision and a delicate touch when delivering the Y90 radioactive beads," added Dr. Gandhi.
The Magellan Robotic System is an advanced technology that drives Magellan Robotic Catheters and guide wires during minimally-invasive, endovascular procedures. Magellan is designed to offer procedural predictability, precision, and catheter stability as physicians navigate inside blood vessels and deliver therapy. Image-guided medical procedures using interventional fluoroscopy, while growing rapidly, are the leading source of occupational ionizing radiation exposure for medical personnel1. Magellan's remote workstation allows physicians to control robotic catheters and guide wires while seated away from the radiation field, which has been shown to reduce radiation exposure for the physician by as much as 95% in complex endovascular procedures2.
"Congratulations to Dr. Schlueter and Dr. Gandhi who performed these milestones in interventional cancer treatment," said Cary Vance, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hansen Medical. "It is our hope that more and more patients will benefit from embolization procedures such as these that utilize the benefits of the Magellan Robotic System."
About the Magellan™ Robotic System
Hansen Medical's Magellan Robotic System is intended to be used to facilitate navigation in the peripheral vasculature and subsequently provide a conduit for manual placement of therapeutic devices. The Magellan Robotic System is designed to deliver predictability, control and catheter stability to endovascular procedures. Since its commercial introduction in the U.S. and Europe, the Magellan Robotic System has demonstrated its clinical versatility in many cases in a broad variety of peripheral vascular procedures globally. The Magellan Robotic System offers several important features including:
- Provides predictability, control and catheter stability as a physician navigates a patient's peripheral vasculature and then provides a conduit for manual treatment of vascular disease with standard therapeutic devices.
- Is designed to enable more predictable procedure times and increased case throughput potentially allowing hospitals to improve utilization within their vascular business line
- Employs an open architecture designed to allow for the subsequent use of many therapeutic devices on the market today.
- Is designed to potentially reduce physician radiation exposure and fatigue by allowing the physician to navigate procedures while seated comfortably at a remote workstation away from the radiation field and without wearing heavy lead as required in conventional endovascular procedures.
- The Magellan 9Fr and 10Fr Robotic Catheters allow for independent, robotic control of two telescoping catheters (an outer Guide and an inner Leader catheter), as well as robotic manipulation of standard guide wires.
- The Magellan 6Fr Robotic Catheter allows for independent robotic control of two separate bend sites on a single catheter, as well as robotic manipulation of standard guide wires. This smaller catheter design may be preferred by certain physicians who prefer a smaller diameter vessel access site, or in procedures in smaller vessels.