Hansen Medical has announced the completion of the first robotic prostatic artery embolisation (PAE) in the USA. Sandeep Bagla, interventional radiologist, performed the procedure at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia using the Magellan robotic system.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlargement of the prostate, is a common condition that affects over 50% of men aged 50 and as high as 80% of men aged 80 or older. The continued enlargement of the prostate gland can lead to difficulties associated with the bladder and urination. Sufferers of BPH may experience a diminished quality of life as sleep is often interrupted by a frequent need to urinate during the night. If untreated, BPH can lead to complications including a weakened bladder, blockage, bladder stones or infections.
PAE is a therapy in which the size of the prostate is reduced by a less invasive catheter-based approach that works to reduce blood flow to the main arteries that feed the prostate. Successfully performed, prostatic artery embolisation can reduce the prostate gland size and eliminate the symptoms associated with BPH. Currently a patient must choose between long-term medical therapy or highly invasive surgical options that may often result in complications such as pain, bleeding, incontinence or impotence. Some sources have estimated that almost 2 million men did not seek therapy last year because of the potential complications that can result from a traditional surgical approach.
The Magellan system is an advanced technology that drives the Magellan Robotic Catheters during endovascular procedures. Magellan is designed to offer procedural predictability, control, and catheter stability to physicians as they remotely navigate the robotic catheter through the vasculature. Magellan’s remote workstation allows physicians to navigate through the vasculature while seated away from the radiation field, potentially reducing physicians’ radiation exposure and procedural fatigue.
The Magellan 6Fr Robotic Catheter received FDA 510(k) clearance earlier this year and is commercially available in the USA.
