Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) is observed in 25% of patients treated with angiocardiography a month after their blood vessels got clogged
Existing CTO treatment and its limitations
The success rate is 60-70%, but lesions with J-CTO≥3 show low successful clearance rate of only 10~20% for guide wires in 30 minutes depending on the shape of the CTO lesion, calcification, insertion angle, and length of travel.
The existing catheter and CTO-based opening technology uses 2D projection images, which cause serious difficulties in implementation, and the accuracy of treatment depends on the experiences and senses of the operator, eventually leading to limitations such as damaged blood vessels and complications.
Due to high cost and poor efficiency, high-dose radiation exposure from long duration of treatment and use of too much contrast medium
Overcoming the limitations and issues of the existing catheter insertion method
by
conducting CTO treatment precisely
utilizing a micro-robot embedded with catheter and controlled by magnetic field
Improving the success rate to 80% with micro-drilling technology utilizing a micro medical robot
Reducing complications such as perforation and hemorrhage by deploying the image-based information navigation system using ultrasonic technology and 3D X-ray image as well as developing a catheter location feedback algorithm
Minimizing the exposure of the operator through precise location control of the micro-robo
Reducing the current average usage (300 ml) of contrast medium by more than 50%
Unclogging blood vessels with a micro-robot utilizing a magnetic field controlling system while operating the guide wire
