RWJBarnabas Health, a network of independent healthcare providers in New Jersey, has installed the ClearPoint navigation system and ROSA ONE Brain technology to improve precision and performance in neurosurgery.
The two minimally invasive technologies will allow neurosurgeons to treat patients with movement disorders, epilepsy and other neurological conditions.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Brunswick is currently utilising these technologies.
The ClearPoint system helps doctors place and use surgical instruments with great precision during brain surgeries, using 3D resonance imaging (MRI) technology.
RWJUH will utilise ClearPoint along with the only MRI in New Jersey in the surgery room. It is expected to offer robotic accuracy to surgeries such as biopsies.
Intraoperative MRI combined with ClearPoint technology enables neurosurgeons to conduct deep brain stimulation (DBS) lead placement for epilepsy and seizure treatment through 'asleep' DBS implantation procedures.
RWJBarnabas Health Neurosurgical Services senior vice-president Dr Robert Gross said: “As neurosurgeons, we are always seeking new ways to achieve the pinpoint accuracy needed to deliver the best outcomes for patients with complex diseases that have devastating impact on their quality of life.
“New technologies are advancing rapidly right now thanks to AI and machine learning. It’s an exciting time to bring new robots into the OR that promise to help us better treat our patients.”
The ROSA ONE brain system is a robotic assistant, which enables neurosurgeons to execute complex minimally invasive procedures. It features a robotic arm that places surgical tools through small openings in the skull.
The ROSA robot enables neurosurgeons to conduct epilepsy, seizure, and brain tumour procedures without requiring a craniotomy, where a portion of the skull bone is traditionally removed.
This robot use in surgical procedures typically eliminates the need for hair shaving, while also helping in reduced operation durations and expedited patient recovery periods.
It assists surgeons by guiding the placement of surgical instruments according to a surgical plan, enabling precise access to deep brain targets.
