VITRRO: Versatile Intracranial Tumour Resection Robot

Europe has over 87 000 brain and central nervous system cancer patients, which have among the poorest prognoses of all cancer types and result in an annual economic burden of Euro 5.2B. Glioblastoma, the most common primary brain tumour, has a 5-year survival rate of only 10% and is treated by a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Full tumour resection drastically increases the survival rate of patients (200% for high grade gliomas and 160% for low grade gliomas) when compared to subtotal resections. As such, brain tumour surgery aims at the highest rate of resection while optimising safety.

The gold standard for glioblastoma removal is microsurgery, which is highly challenging as it requires a craniotomy, navigation of healthy tissue and bimanual operation in a sensitive and confined space. The complexity of microsurgery can lead to suboptimal resections which, in turn, results in tumour recurrence. Additionally, 5-8% of glioblastoma patients experience postoperative complications, such as permanent motor and language deficits. Microsurgery on intraventricular tumours, a type of cancers that grow in the deep anatomy of the brain, is even less safe and results in complications in 27% of patients.

Alternatively, neuroendoscopic surgery can be a less invasive strategy that can improve safety, yet the approach is hampered by the limited workspace in the brain and only permits single-instrument approaches which results in lower resection rates. Thus, unmet need remains for novel techniques that combine the efficacy of microsurgery and safety of neuroendoscopic surgery. This ERC PoC project aims to technically advance and evaluate the market potential of the Versatile Intracranial Tumour Resection Robot - a highly dexterous, flexible, and small diameter multi-arm continuum robot that can be introduced through a single port (like neuroendoscope) for truly precise, minimally invasive removal of intracranial tumours and other confined space surgeries.