Versius (robot surgeon)

2019: Beginning of sales

At the end of October, 2019 CMR Surgical began sales of the modular robotic platform for holding different surgical procedures of Versius.

A system is intended for the general surgeries, thoracic, gynecologic and kolorektalny procedures and also for interventions on upper departments of digestive tract. The solution is successful the beginning is applied in Galaxy Care hospital in Pune (India) at the different surgeries including transthoracic procedures, a hysterectomy and a miomektomiya.

CMR Surgical robots surgeons began to appear in hospitals

As the Versius system is modular, it is possible to move it easily and quickly between operational halls that expands possibilities of use and profitability of the platform, the producer claims. It is expected that the robot surgeon will reduce duration of surgical intervention and at the same time will improve results of treatment. The Versius platform should become more available in comparison with competitors and is intended for hospitals of average scale.

In addition to the new CMR Surgical system started the first clinical register for efficiency evaluation of robotic technologies which will allow to fix and keep track of results of all procedures with participation of Versius for security of patients.

The estimated parameters include duration of use of the platform, duration of hospitalization of the patient, repeated hospitalization of the patient within 30 days and repeated transactions within 24 hours. Thus intends to provide to CMR Surgical post-marketing supervision of quality of the products within the IDEAL system ("The idea, development, a research, assessment, long-term observation") which urges producers to estimate all operational stages of their products.^[1]

2018

Announcement of the new version

At the beginning of September, 2018 the new version of the robotic CMR Surgical Versius system for low-invasive surgical interventions was released, and the manufacturing company considers that it is a serious step for increase in efficiency and security of transactions.

Decrease in injury rate, improvement of result of treatment and the fastest terms of recovery were the driving force of development of surgical robotics for decades. Low-invasive surgeries and tools for their carrying out which were developed within the last forty years represent a profitable alternative to open surgeries: at low-invasive interventions the risk of complications, duration of hospitalization and discomfort for the patient decreases. Statistics shows that about six million open operations which could be replaced with low-invasive interventions are annually performed. Specialists hope that Versius will provide final shift of a paradigm in surgery.

CMR Surgical Versius robot surgeon

The portability, mobility and availability – in Great Britain the device will go on sale in 2019, - profitable distinguish Versius from fellows. So, according to developers, Versius is three times less than widely known system for low-invasive interventions of da Vinci Xi. Modular construction and attachment of a robotic hand to the mobile cart allow to move easily the device between operating rooms and even separate hospitals that is the cornerstone of cost efficiency of the tool.

The ergonomic design of the tool is directed to undertaking as much as possible mechanical functions of the doctor. Versius imitates movements in a brush and the surgeon's wrist with a high accuracy and broad range – the robotic hand has seven degrees of freedom, as well as a hand of the person, thanks to additional joints. For comparison - the best industrial manipulators have only six degrees of freedom. Developers note that the mobility of a modular robotic hand of Versius allows to apply it at the majority of laparoscopic transactions on an abdominal cavity and a cavity of a basin.

Clinical trials showed that thanks to Versius doctors can without straining spend behind the operating table not two hours a day, and eight. The representative of CMR hoped that application of Versius will bring benefit both to patients, and surgeons who will receive the convenient and effective tool.^[2]

Entry into the market

In July, 2018 CMR Surgical announced as the company claims, the least surgical robot in the world. The model under the name Versius represents three robotic hands attached to the mobile device of the size of a bar counter.

The surgeon controls the robot from a control panel, directing "hands" at endoscopic and laparoscopic transactions. Though low-invasive transactions are widely applied in clinical practice, they require long training of specialists and are rather difficult for execution. Application of Versius allows to facilitate load of the surgeon who does not need to manage directly endoscopic tools in an inconvenient pose now.

Besides, training with Versius takes away much less time, than training in the manipulations which are executed manually – for example, for fixing of skill of setting of a surgical node manually at low-invasive band transaction the surgeon needs 60-80 hours of practice whereas using Versius he can master the same procedure in 30 minutes.

Versius robot surgeon

Thanks to the robot more specialists will be able to execute low-invasive transactions that will improve clinical outcomes – it is known that such procedures have several advantages before open band transactions. Probability of development of hernia at low-invasive transactions decreases by 50%, requirement for postoperative an analgetic decreases, the probability of infection of an operational wound decreases.

Versius — not the first or only surgical robot, but it is simple in use and is mobile that as developers consider, will become its advantage. It is noted that by July, 2018 the robot is ready to sale, and undergo the last formal procedures necessary for an output of this medical equipment to mass market.^[3]

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