Intuitive Surgical announces it has CE marked its new da Vinci X system. This marking shows that the surgical robot complies with all relevant European regulations and guidelines. The da Vinci X system is intended as a lower-cost alternative to the company's well-known da Vinci Xi surgical robot.
US company Intuitive Surgical focuses on the development of robotic surgery systems, also known as surgical robots. The company's surgical robots enable minimally invasive surgery to be performed through very small incisions. In addition, the systems increase surgeons' accuracy by making the movements of their hands smaller, filtering vibrations from the movements and translating them into precise movements of the instruments linked to the operating robot.
da Vinci Xi
The company launched the da Vinci Xi system in 2009, which was upgraded in 2014. This system constitutes Intuitive Surgical's flagship model. The new da Vinci X system is a lower-cost alternative to the da Vinci Xi system. This top-of-the-range model consists of several components:
- a surgical console - this console is used by surgeons to control the medical instruments linked to the system. The system gives surgeons access to high definition 3D images of the patient's body and translates the movements of the surgeon's hands into precise movements of the instruments.
- Patient cart - The patient cart forms the side where the patient is during surgery. The cart is equipped with three or four robotic arms controlled by the surgeon. These robotic arms are equipped with five different pivot points, giving them a lot of freedom of movement and allowing them to operate at many different angles.
- Endowrist instruments - The da Vinci Xi system comes with so-called Endowrist instruments, which can bend and rotate significantly further than the human hand. Intuitive Surgical supplies a wide range of Endowrist instruments, all of which are intended for different purposes. These include instruments for making incisions, stopping bleeding, suturing wounds and clamping blood vessels.
- Vision system - The surgical robot's vision system features an endoscope that delivers high-definition 3D images. These images can be viewed by the entire team in the operating theatre via the vision cart.
da Vinci X
The da Vinci Xi system is used in a good number of hospitals worldwide, including Dutch hospitals Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, ZGT, Jeroen Bosch Hospital and Rijnstate. Intuitive Surgical aims to market a cheaper alternative to its flagship da Vinci X system. The company claims that the new system offers access to many of the company's recent developments at a lower price tag.
"Our customers worldwide tell us that robot-assisted surgery is important for their programmes and patients, and stress the importance of providing freedom of choice from a clinical, technological and financial standpoint. With a lower price tag, the da Vinci X product meets the needs of customers who want more financial choice, while providing access to many of our recent innovations," explained Dr Gary Guthart, CEO of Intuitive Surgical.
Expanding functionalities
The system uses the same vision cart and surgical console as the da Vinci Xi. This allows hospitals to add additional functionality to the system over time if there is a need. The system can be used to perform a variety of procedures. These include prostatectomies, partial nephrectomies, hernia operations and hysterectomies. The da Vinci X system uses the same instruments and accessories as Intuitive Surgical's flagship system.
> Learn more about Intuitive Surgical's surgical robots
By: Wouter Hoeffnagel
