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Minimally invasive heart surgery can now be performed even more gently and precisely at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg / Only five similar devices in use in Europe / Benefits for patients and physicians

The world's most modern cardiac catheterization robot has been in use at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg for around a week. Nine patients have now been successfully treated with it at the Department of Cardiology and Angiology I of the University Heart Center. This makes the University Heart Center at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg one of only six locations in Europe where this pioneering technology is available. With the assistance robot, physicians can use state-of-the-art imaging to dilate coronary vessels or insert stents, for example after a heart attack. The robotic arm is controlled by the physicians using numerous sensors and motors via a control console with a high-resolution monitor, which is positioned at any distance from the treatment table. Remote control of the robot has further advantages: For one thing, the physicians are outside the radiation range of the imaging. Secondly, the Freiburg experts could also supervise or even carry out procedures telemedically in future.

"Robotics opens up new horizons in interventional cardiology, both diagnostically and therapeutically. With the support of the robot, we can perform interventions on the coronary arteries even more precisely and yet very carefully," says Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Christoph Bode, Medical Director of the Department of Cardiology and Angiology I at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. "We are delighted to be one of the first clinics in Europe to be able to use this new technology for the benefit of our patients," says Bode. As one of the largest centers for cardiovascular medicine in Germany, the physicians at the University Heart Center have a great deal of experience in using new techniques and performing complex cardiac catheterization procedures.

Artificial intelligence enables the highest quality standards

During an intervention, the robotic arm records motor movements and material selection, which in future will be able to be retrieved anonymously via a cloud. "In this way, the most successful algorithms can be retrieved from patients with comparable coronary anatomy worldwide and then refined further and further - an excellent example of the use of artificial intelligence in medicine," says Prof. Dr. Constantin von zur Mühlen, Head of Interventional Cardiology at the Department of Cardiology and Angiology I at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. In order to further increase the benefits of this new technology, its clinical use is being closely monitored scientifically. "Due to the higher precision and better protection of employees from radiation, this technology has the potential to become the new standard," says von zur Mühlen.

"Technological progress and digitalization are essential building blocks for making medicine even more sustainable. The use of the digital assistant makes it possible to monitor the quality of surgery in real time and simplify evaluation across different locations. This is a prime example of quality-centered, cutting-edge university medicine," says Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

Caption 1: Prof. Dr. Constantin von zur Mühlen at the newly installed cardio-assistance robot.
Caption 2: The robot can be controlled to an accuracy of a tenth of a millimeter via a console.
Image source: Medical Center - University of Freiburg

You can find a video of the new cardiac catheterization robot here: https://youtu.be/UChSKmvEE3c

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Constantin von zur Mühlen
Head of Interventional Cardiology
Department of Cardiology and Angiology I
Medical Center - University of Freiburg
Phone: 0761 270-34415
constantin.vonzurmuehlen@uniklinik-freiburg.de