Shanghai, China, December 23 2020 — On December 15, 2020, the Toumai™ Endoscopic Surgery Robotic System (Toumai™ Endoscopic Robot), a proprietary product of Shanghai MicroPort MedBot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (MicroPort® MedBot), completed the first partial nephrectomy through retroperitoneal approach. The procedure, led by Prof. Jianming Guo, Director of Department of Urology of the Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, marks the first robot-assisted retroperitoneal approach to partial nephrectomy performed by Toumai™. It is an important clinical breakthrough in complicated cases of urological surgery, which follows on from the first use in a radical prostatectomy and partial nephrectomy completed in China.
The patient, a 37-year-old female with a space-occupying lesion of the right kidney measuring 4.7 by 3.7 cm, was diagnosed with a right kidney tumor and sought treatment from the Department of Urology of the Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University. Based on case discussions, Prof. Guo’s team decided to perform a robotic retroperitoneal approach to partial nephrectomy using the Toumai™ Endoscopic Robot.
Commenting after the surgery, Prof. Guo said, “The dexterity of the robotic wrist of Toumai™ allows for flexible manipulations within the limits of the narrow space of the retroperitoneal approach. The 3D vision ensures a clear view that is conducive to visualizing complex and delicate operations. The partial nephrectomy was performed without event, which is a validation that Toumai™ is capable of performing operations of this kind.”
The choice of access approaches for robot-assisted partial nephrectomy mainly depends on the site, number and size of tumors, as well as the experience of the surgeon. The minimally invasive retroperitoneal approach can avoid intra-abdominal organs and reduce the risk of intestinal adhesion and obstruction, reducing damage and allowing for faster recovery among patients, while avoiding abdominal implantation metastasis. Therefore, it is more in line with the requirements of the “no-touch isolation technique” (NTIT) in urological surgery, and is more suitable for patients with tumor in the dorsal and lateral parts, the upper pole of the kidney, as well as those with a history of laparotomy. Due to the close proximity to the body surface and the extremely limited operating space in retroperitoneal surgeries, it places higher requirements than other procedures on the dexterity of surgical instruments, the intraoperative obstacle avoidance performance of the robotic arm, the working space, and the surgical experience and skills of the surgeon.
Dr. Chao He, President of MicroPort® MedBot, a Shanghai MicroPort Medical (Group) Co., Ltd. (MicroPort®) subsidiary, said, “The successful completion of the first partial nephrectomy through retroperitoneal approach marks another new milestone in the clinical application of the Toumai™ Endoscopic Robot. Recently, leading experts in urology in China have used Toumai™ technology in increasingly challenging robotic scenarios and expanded the scope of their clinical applications. MicroPort® MedBot will continue to explore the unknown and develop integrated solutions for robot-assisted surgery designed for Chinese patients and doctors.”
About Shanghai MicroPort MedBot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
MicroPort® MedBot is a Shanghai MicroPort Medical (Group) Co., Ltd. (MicroPort®) subsidiary.
MicroPort® started strategizing its engagement in the medical robotics field as early as 2014 when it initiated the independent research and development of endoscopic robots. For years, MicroPort® MedBot has been focusing on the development and commercialization of minimally invasive surgical robots and has gradually developed and improved a multi-department integrated solution represented by the five “golden paths” – laparoscopy, orthopedics, vascular intervention, natural orifice surgery, and percutaneous puncture.