XMCH once again successfully using a domestically developed cardiac surgery robotic system to repair valves

On May 20 and 22, the Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University (referred to as XMCH) has once again pioneered globally by successfully using a domestically developed cardiac surgery robotic system equipped with imported instruments to minimally invasively repair the damaged valves of two high-risk, complex mitral regurgitation patients. Both patients were elderly and in critical and complex conditions. Among them was an 85-year-old woman, Mrs. Huang, who is 160 cm tall and weighs only 37 kg. She had long suffered from severe mitral regurgitation and had sought medical treatment in various places without success.

During the procedure, there were no medical staff in the operating room. Professor Wang Yan of XMCH operated the control console from outside the operating room, controlling the robot inside. In just 29 minutes, the robot minimally invasively repaired the damaged mitral valve on the beating heart of the patient.

The next day, Mrs. Huang was able to walk. "She used to be out of breath after walking a few steps and couldn't lie flat to sleep. It was very painful. Doctors said that because of her old age and frailty, traditional surgery was too risky. After much inquiry, we found XMCH," said Mrs. Huang’s daughter. "To our surprise, the surgery was completed quickly, without any incisions on her body, only a 1 cm puncture wound in the groin area. She has been getting better every day since her discharge and can now walk 500 to 600 meters a day. It's amazing!"

This cardiac surgery robot was jointly developed by XMCH and a domestic innovative medical device company over more than a year and has completely independent intellectual property rights. The world's first application of this system was completed at XMCH at the end of 2023 and it was equipped with a domestically produced mitral valve clamp system at that time. 

This time, the robotic system was equipped with the MitraClip G4, the only mitral valve clamp system globally certified by both the European CE and the US FDA, and widely used. The successful surgeries demonstrate the robot's strong compatibility with various instruments, suggesting a broad application potential and the possibility of benefiting more patients.

The two surgeries were also live-streamed online to experts in Europe, including internationally renowned cardiac expert Maurizio Taramasso. The innovation, stability, flexibility, and safety of the robotic system received high praise from international experts. Maurizio Taramasso remarked, "Even in such challenging and complex minimally invasive cardiac surgeries, the robot showed perfect compatibility and stability. I believe that in the near future, robots will play a significant role in clinical surgeries, remote medical treatment, and professional doctor training."

With the aging population, the incidence of heart valve disease is rapidly increasing, with an estimated 25 million patients in China.

As a sub-center of the National Clinical Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and a regional medical center for cardiovascular diseases jointly built by the National Health Commission and Fujian Province Government, XMCH is at the forefront of technology development. It was the first in the country to perform transcatheter minimally invasive valve interventions and has led or participated in numerous nationwide multicenter clinical trials of innovative valve intervention devices, achieving several national and global first human implants. With a leading position in mitral and tricuspid valve interventions in China, XMCH has accumulated rich experience and further promoted breakthroughs in robot-assisted treatment in this field.

For a long time, advanced medical devices were mostly developed abroad and then introduced into China. In recent years, domestic medical devices have developed rapidly, but truly original products are still relatively few. Globally, robotic surgery is already quite mature in abdominal and lung surgeries, but its application in cardiac surgery remains unexplored. XMCH dared to be the first to try, jointly developing this cardiac surgery robotic system with innovative enterprises. This has attracted the attention of peers in Europe and the United States. Professor Wang Yan said, "This cardiac surgery robotic system was born in China. In the future, we hope it can go global, benefiting more heart disease patients and showcasing the strength of domestic medical devices."