University Hospital Galway has carried out the first Robotic Guided Coronary Intervention in Ireland and the UK.

Caption: Pictured from left: Dr Simone Fezzi, Prof Faisal Sharif, and Dr Max Wagener.

The first ever Robotic Guided Coronary Intervention (used to place stents in the arteries of the heart to remove a blockage) in Ireland and the UK has been successfully performed at University Hospital Galway.

The new technology allows specialist cardiologists to use the robot as an extension of their own hand, allowing for robotic precision and accuracy when placing guide catheters, guidewires and balloon/stent catheters.

It is used in stent procedures to relieve blockages in the arteries of the heart and allows for greater precision in putting stents into position, allowing the cardiologists to move the stent a millimetre at a time.

The new robotic technology also allows the medical team to have a better, close-up view of images and information during the entire procedure.

Professor Faisal Sharif, Consultant Cardiologist, who carried out the first procedure in UHG, welcomed the addition of the CorPath Robotic Angioplasty as a game changer.

“Robotic innovation has come a long way in the last decade. And we in Galway are delighted to have performed the first Robotic Guided Coronary Intervention in Ireland and the UK.”

“The main advantage of robotics is that it is safe and very precise in stent placement. It allows the accurate placement of a stent for up to 1mm at a time,” he said.

The use of robotics in the procedure will also benefit staff, reducing their exposure to radiation.

“Traditionally, the coronary stent placement procedure is performed in the Cardiac Cath Lab resulting in staff exposure to radiation. The second main advantage of using Robotics is the  reduction in radiation exposure for the staff.”

“We recently successfully completed the first case and going forward we will be performing these procedures regularly. I would like to thank Science Foundation Ireland, University of Galway and University Hospital Galway for their support towards this innovation,” Prof Sharif added.

Chris Kane, General Manager of Galway University Hospitals, welcomed the introduction of the new technology adding that it will further benefit patients.

“Innovations such as this are transforming medicine and will have a significant impact on the future care for patients. This state-of-the-art robotics will enhance patient care for our patients across the West and Northwest of Ireland,” she added.