Domo Arigato Dr. Roboto: Thailand’s 1st robot brain surgeon put to work

Photo: Prasat Neurological Institute / FB
Photo: Prasat Neurological Institute / FB

A medical institute yesterday announced it had successfully completed the first robot-assisted surgeries in the kingdom.

The Prasat Neurological Institute on Thursday showed off its robot surgeon designed to assist surgeons on patients with epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder that usually causes seizures.

The robot is capable of precisely pinpointing areas in the brain that need to be operated on and can cut surgery time from up to 10 hours down to about six, according to Somsak Akkasilp, director of the Public Health Ministry’s Medical Services Department.

The robot’s been put to use in four procedures so far, Somsak said.

The French-made Rosa robot is designed to make brain and spinal surgery easier and less invasive. It was developed by Zimmer Biomet Robotics, which says they have been used in more than 9,000 procedures at 150 hospitals and clinics worldwide.

About 500,000 Thais suffer from epilepsy, and about 150,000 of those are resistant to common medication. Half of the cases are considered complex, and use of robotic system is required to help pinpoint the precise neurological source of the disorder, Somsak told reporters.

Photo: Prasat Neurological Institute / FB
Photo: Prasat Neurological Institute / FB

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