Operating theatres
and improve the lives of so many patients across Scotland”. Equally, transformative tech has been
developed by InnoScot Health spinout CardioPrecision – a Glasgow-based company focused on less invasive treatment of structural heart disease and cardiothoracic interventions. Three out of four cardiac centres in Scotland
are now using its innovative technology during heart surgery for better patient outcomes with positive results continuing to be reported. The centres are using CardioPrecision’s
CoreVista on-screen system for precise Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting (EVH) — a minimally invasive procedure that makes only a small incision during surgery, creating faster recovery times, less time spent in hospital, reduced pain, less blood loss, and a lower risk of infection. The system is the world’s first to bring a
screen into the operative field within direct sight and control of the EVH operator. The goal is to make EVH faster to learn for new operators, provide more comfortable working conditions for seasoned operators – in turn, avoiding sick leave from neck and back strain injury – and enable more efficient equipment setup. Scotland’s transformation from open
surgical techniques to endoscopic harvesting for coronary artery bypass (CABG) surgery has been championed by Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon and EVH innovator, Mr Fraser Sutherland.
Mr Sutherland, Chief Medical Officer at
CardioPrecision – which was spun out from NHS Scotland back in 2007 – is proud to say that colleagues in his field have backed CoreVista benefits. He said: “In the current era of minimally invasive surgery, endoscopic harvesting of vessels has become the standard of care. “However, the transition to EVH from
conventional open surgery can be challenging. The CoreVista system is intended to make it
easier to get started and easier for trained practitioners to continue.” Last year, CardioPrecision also played a leading role in bringing the world’s first robotic aortic valve replacement through a tiny incision in the neck significantly closer to reality. The company was able to demonstrate a
proof-of-concept AVATAR (Advanced Videoscopic Aortic valve surgery by Transcervical Approach using Robot-assistance) procedure in Chicago, introducing it to leading US robotic surgeons. The procedure was performed successfully on a series of human cadavers, representing an important milestone in progressing towards clinical cases. CardioPrecision utilised its CoreVista Robot
Enabling Platform, as well as the Perceval Plus sutureless aortic heart valve from UK-based Corcym – a global medical device company focused on the structural heart area. The Robot Enabling Platform opens up the
groundbreaking possibility of day case aortic valve surgery – a massive step forward in the field; and mirrors advances in robotic surgery
systems being explored across multiple treatment areas Indeed, a Scottish Government investment of
around £20 million in 10 surgical robots for predominantly cancer procedures was announced in 2021 and further investment in robotics is anticipated nationwide, representing an exciting growth area and a platform for further operating theatre breakthroughs. Pre-existing robots had been used for
prostate cancer surgery and thoracic surgery, but the expansion in numbers meant opening up surgery for colorectal, gynaecological, urological, thoracic and head and neck cancers too. Integration of this technology into the NHS could transform the experience of surgery for hundreds of patients every year, while easing pressure on surgeons with shorter procedures that are less physically demanding to carry out. The possibilities in this area are vast, including
the potential for ‘telesurgery’ – a surgical procedure performed remotely by a surgeon using robotic technology and wireless networks. While the future benefits from smart theatres
and robotic technology are promising, there is already much work underway to drive efficiency within current operating theatre set ups. In 2023, ophthalmologists based at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness moved into a new, purpose-built National Treatment Centre – Highland (NTC-H) which hosts the entire Eye Care Service for the region and creates additional operating capacity for Ophthalmology Services. It has three operating theatres for ophthalmology, facilitating high volume cataract surgery and management of ocular conditions, with an emphasis on new imaging technology, which allows for greater remote and virtual working. Such technology can provide surgeons
with real-time information through digital connectivity, enhance precision, and enable
April 2025 I
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