Micromate cleared by FDA

"Not all surgical robots have to be large, octopuslike machines with multiple arms and tools—they can be quite small to get a specific job done.

Enter Interventional Systems’ Micromate, a boxlike motorized robot that attaches to the operating table and allows surgeons to conduct image-guided, percutaneous procedures remotely without exposing themselves to the radiation that comes with real-time fluoroscopy or CT scans.

The Austrian devicemaker received a 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its miniature machine, opening a path for the company to start building a U.S. presence.

The Micromate is designed as a universal instrument guidance solution and works with a surgeon’s own equipment for nearly any procedure conducted with a straight needle through the skin, such as guided biopsies and ablations. 

Using a joystick, the surgeon can line up and guide the needle from entirely outside the operation room. In fact, Micromate is small enough to fit between the patient and the surrounding imaging hardware."

 

Source: FierceBiotech, Interventional Systems