Medical Robot Performs Minimally Invasive Liver Cancer Treatment

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 01 Apr 2022

Image: Epione open robotic solution (Photo courtesy of Quantum Surgical)

Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths globally with more than three million people diagnosed with liver disease each year throughout the world. Now, a unique robotic-assisted technology dedicated to minimally invasive liver cancer treatment enables physicians to plan, target, deliver and confirm tumor ablation.

Quantum Surgical’s (Montpellier, France) Epione is the only all-in-one robotic-assisted solution that provides multimodal preplanning, robotic guidance and ablation confirmation. Epione is designed to assist physicians plan, guide, and assess percutaneous ablation of tumors in the abdomen, a minimally invasive treatment in which a needle is inserted through the skin to the tumor to destroy it. Using the power of robotics and image fusion technology, Epione aims to provide clinicians with the ability to reach targeted tumors consistently.

The Epionen open robotic solution is compatible with any imaging systems. The medical robot is designed to allow physicians their choice of any ablative technologies (radiofrequency, microwave, cryoablation, irreversible electroporation) so they can decide the right therapy for each individual patient. It aims to dramatically ease multiple probe procedures which will make treatment of large tumors more predictable. Epione is the only interventional oncology robot that offers six degrees of freedom and unprecedented dexterity to access difficult trajectories when targeting abdominal tumors.

Following a successful multi-center clinical study completed in 2021, Epione received the CE mark approval and has also been granted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance, facilitating treatment of early-stage liver disease. The company plans to extend indications for the Epione platform to other organs and is developing artificial intelligence-based decision-support features.

“This clearance enables interventional oncologists to access state-of-the-art technology that has the potential to improve clinical outcomes and patient’s lives. We believe that the clinical adoption of innovative robotic solutions like Epione will be a significant step toward allowing more patients to benefit from minimally invasive therapies in cancer treatment,” said Bertin Nahum, President and Co-Founder of Quantum Surgical.

“Percutaneous tumor ablation is a proven therapy that is underutilized today, and Epione will allow expansion of this minimally invasive treatment to more patients battling liver cancer,” said Nishita Kothary, Professor of Radiology at Stanford University Medical Center.

“Epione introduces an exciting new era by expanding technical ability and safety in the diagnosis and treatment of lesions anywhere in the liver,” added Prof. Steven Colquhoun, Liver Transplant Surgeon, who specializes in robotic surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

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