Optiscan and US-based Mayo Clinic have made significant headway down a mutual path as they look to blend digital laser technology with new-age robotic surgery, with a vision to complete their joint project within the next 12 months.

The two firms have combined project teams to collaborate on an imaging system aimed at giving medical practitioners enhanced real-time imaging during surgery and allow for the immediate precision treatment of patients.

Experts from the two companies have been tasked with developing Optiscan’s digital confocal laser-technology in the form of a robot-compatible endomicroscopic imaging system, primarily focused on breast cancer surgeries.

Both groups have focussed on developing the relevant accessories to allow for Optiscan’s imaging probe to be incorporated into the robotic surgical world. The next phase of the project is expected to take place at Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus.

With greater accuracy on tissue classification, cancer cell determination and cancer margin assessment, the new technology is expected to streamline the surgical process, improve decision-making and reduce the potential for follow-up surgeries.

‘We are thrilled with the outcomes delivered to date from our collaboration with the Mayo Clinic.’

Optiscan Imaging chief executive officer and managing director Dr Camile Farah

The plan remains on track to develop a new style of imaging system within a two-year period, after a “Know-How” agreement was signed by the duo 12 months ago. All targeted milestones set for the first 12 months have been achieved.

The agreement focuses on the mutual assignment and ownership of intellectual property (IP) rights between the parties involved, ensuring the clarity and protection of respective IP assets.

Several of the milestones achieved include the definition of system requirements, concept development and feasibility assessment, a review of system requirements, design inputs and enhancements, along with prototyping and benchtop testing.

The collaboration brings two companies with market-leading expertise together. Optiscan has the experience in high-resolution endomicroscopic imaging technology and Mayo Clinic is considered a leader in the field of robotic surgery and clinical care.

Optiscan Imaging chief executive officer and managing director Dr Camile Farah said: “We are thrilled with the outcomes delivered to date from our collaboration with the Mayo Clinic. Just twelve months on from Optiscan signing a Know-How agreement with this prestigious US medical care organisation, both groups have materially progressed an imaging system for use in robotic surgery.”

To date, progress has been made in three important areas. Optiscan engineers and clinical staff have worked with a leading Mayo Clinic breast surgeon to better understand robotic-assisted surgical workflows and the optimal way to include endomicroscopic imaging systems into various surgical scenarios.

The two firms have set out to identify standalone imaging systems’ hardware and software requirements that can provide the maximum level of autonomy from robotic surgical systems, while also proving capable of integrating with as many systems as possible.

Work to create prototypes of imaging probe accessories remains a priority for the partners who are aiming to develop a range of instruments capable of cutting, grasping and retracting. Preclinical testing on the accessory prototypes will get underway before being assessed in a preclinical setting.

The Mayo Clinic is the world’s biggest integrated, not-for-profit medical group practice, which has a mission aimed at turning medical research into earlier diagnoses and new cures.

The robotic-assisted surgery market is experiencing significant growth and is expected to be driven further by technological advancements.

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