Project Description:

In the United States, 46 million Americans live in a rural area. There is a significant healthcare gap between rural and urban regions due to the lack of interventional cardiologists, interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons outside of cities. The minimally invasive techniques performed by these specialists are often needed in emergency surgeries, and this puts rural patients at risk of not receiving the healthcare they need. These patients are forced to travel many hours to the closest specialist or undergo an invasive, high risk procedure at their local hospital. This health disparity led us to create RoboCath, the first step in fully remote catheterization and endovascular procedures. RoboCath is a robotic arterial access system, meaning it opens an artery and allows surgeons to begin the subsequent endovascular procedure. Through RoboCath, surgeons can use a telehealth user interface to transfer their skills to help all patients regardless of their proximity to specialized urban hospitals. Our device has three primary unique features: coaxial tool control for a needle and guide wire, ultrasound vision guidance, and reusability. The coaxial tool control actuates a micropuncture needle and guidewire colinearly, meaning the surgeons can quickly and precisely catheterize the target vasculature. Through its ultrasound guidance system, RoboCath provides real-time feedback to surgeons about needle location ensuring accurate placement at the center of the artery before guidewire advancement. A sterile field houses the needle and guidewire allowing for these components to be changed between patients while the rest of the device is able to be used again safely, making the device an efficient, one time purchase for rural hospitals. Trauma can occur to anyone and traveling hours to the nearest hospital with a specialist is not an option for many patients. RoboCath represents the first step in closing this health equity gap.