Jerusalem uses robot to break up kidney stones for the first time in Israel
At the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel, the ILY robotic system was used for the first time in the country to treat kidney and ureteral stones. The system allows a surgeon to control a flexible urological instrument using a wireless remote control, while the stones are broken up with a laser, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Robot control
The system is used by Dr. Ilan Kafka, head of the endourology unit. According to him, he has already performed several successful operations using the robot. The procedure lasts from 20 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the size of the stone and its location in the kidney or ureter.
The robot does not operate autonomously: all of its movements are controlled by the doctor. The system is intended to provide precise and stable control of the instrument in the urinary tract, while allowing the surgeon to work in a more comfortable position and reduce physical strain during lengthy procedures. According to Kafka, the ability to control the system remotely also allows a medical worker to move away from the radiation source.
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Laser treatment
As the doctor explained, the laser is directed at the stone rather than the tissue. The method is used for stones up to two to three centimeters wide. In some cases, a stent is placed in the patient to maintain ureteral patency and is removed a few days later. A repeat procedure may be needed in cases of complex anatomy.
After the procedure, the patient stays in the hospital for one night and is then discharged home. Kafka estimated the treatment success rate at 85% and noted that the technology could theoretically be used for patients of any age, although it has not yet been used for children at this center. Initial studies, according to the publication, report high effectiveness, success rates, and safety of the method.
The system was developed by the French technology company STERLAB in cooperation with leading research institutions. Kidney stones occur during a lifetime in about 10% of the world's population, while in hot regions, including the Middle East, the figure may reach 20% due to dehydration.
