Neurosurgeons at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children have used a new £350k Neuromates robot to cure epileptic seizures by drilling electrodes deep into a teenage boy's brain. Called a robotic stereotactic EEG, the robot created a 3D trajectory and using ultra-high, sub-millimetre precision, implanted a series of electrodes into the brain that could identify the exact area causing the fits. The device was developed in collaboration with neurosurgeon Dr David King from University College London (UCL) who is also one of the inventors behind the device. They then screwed a frame into his head using four pencil-lead thick screws to guide the robot to position the drill. In future, the operation could be performed completely by the robot, with the guidance of an offsite surgeon. "It is incredibly well tolerated, and got a very high safety profile, and give us very high quality recordings," said the lead neurosurgeon, who added "this event represents a revolutionary transition into the 21st century for epilepsy surgery."
Neurosurgeons at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children have used a new £350k Neuromates robot to cure epileptic seizures by drilling electrodes deep into a teenage boy's brain. Called a robotic stereotactic EEG, the robot created a 3D trajectory and using ultra-high, sub-millimetre precision, implanted a series of electrodes into the brain that could identify the exact area causing the fits. The device was developed in collaboration with neurosurgeon Dr David King from University College London (UCL) who is also one of the inventors behind the device. In future, the operation could be performed completely by the robot, with the guidance of an offsite surgeon. "It is incredibly well tolerated, and got a very high safety profile, and give us very high quality recordings," said the lead neurosurgeon, who added "this event represents a revolutionary transition into the 21st century for epilepsy surgery."