Robotic-Assisted Angioplasty: Current Status and Future Possibilities

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has seen steady technological progress over the past 3 decades. Despite improved patient safety and efficacy, modern interventionalists continue to face significant occupational hazards, including radiation exposure, cataracts, and orthopedic injuries. Robotic remote navigation systems have been developed to address risks and procedural challenges associated with conventional PCI. The first in-human experience using a modern robotic system for PCI yielded excellent results, with an overall technical success rate of 97.9 %. A larger multicenter prospective registry with this system is currently underway. Robotic PCI technology holds promise to reduce operator radiation exposure and musculoskeletal complaints. Postulated benefits to patients include more accurate lesion length calculations, precise stent placement, and reductions in radiation exposure and contrast-media delivery. The development of novel robotic remote control navigation systems represents the dawn of a new era of interventional cardiology.