Remote robot performs first stroke clot removal in Panama

XCath said its Iris Surgical Robotic System was used to perform a remote robotic mechanical thrombectomy on a stroke patient in Panama, describing it as the first remote robotic stroke intervention on a living patient.

The procedure was carried out earlier this year by Dr Vitor Mendes Pereira, a Neurointerventional Surgeon, who controlled the system from Santiago while the patient was in Panama City, more than 200 kilometres away.

During the intervention, he used the robotic system to remove a blood clot from the patient's brain and restore blood flow. The clot was removed on the first pass, and the patient, a man in his late sixties, has since made a full recovery, according to XCath.

The case centres on mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure used to treat acute ischaemic stroke caused by a large vessel occlusion. It is regarded as a standard option for eligible patients, but access remains uneven in the UK and elsewhere because specialist stroke teams are concentrated in a limited number of centres.

In the UK, around 100,000 people have a stroke each year, according to figures cited by XCath. About 15% of patients could benefit from thrombectomy, but only 4.5% currently receive it.

Regional variation is significant. Thrombectomy rates range from 10% of patients in London to 1% in the East of England, reflecting differences in access to specialist services, the company said.

Access gaps

Proponents of remote robotic treatment argue that it could allow specialist surgeons to support hospitals without on-site neurointerventional expertise. In stroke care, speed is critical because brain tissue is damaged quickly when blood flow is blocked.

XCath said the procedure was completed with no perceptible latency as devices were navigated through the patient's intracranial blood vessels. That is central to whether remote intervention could be used in time-sensitive emergency settings, where delays or interruptions would pose obvious risks.

The company also pointed to the cost of stroke care, saying thrombectomy could save the NHS £47,000 per patient over five years. Wider adoption, however, would depend on clinical evidence, hospital infrastructure and regulatory review.

Separately, XCath said the US Food and Drug Administration has granted Breakthrough Device Designation to the Iris Surgical Robotic System for remote robotic-assisted mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. The designation is intended to support the development and review of devices aimed at serious conditions.

Global picture

The broader backdrop is a shortage of stroke treatment capacity across many health systems. XCath said low- and middle-income countries account for 80% of stroke deaths globally, while hospitals able to perform thrombectomy are concentrated in a small number of countries.

It also said fewer than 15% of hospitals in Africa have dedicated stroke units. Those figures highlight the clinical and commercial interest in systems that would allow specialists to work across greater distances.

"More than 100,000 people in the UK experience a stroke every year, and up to 15% could benefit from a mechanical thrombectomy. Every minute matters when treating a stroke, and this breakthrough shows how technology could help make lifesaving treatment more accessible to more patients, wherever they are. By enabling specialist surgeons to treat patients remotely, we can bring the right expertise to people when they need it most," said Eduardo Fonseca, Chief Executive Officer, XCath.

The Panama procedure formed part of a clinical investigation known as Operation Robo Angel. XCath said the project involved physicians, engineers, hospitals and clinical research coordinators. Teams screened potential stroke patients across three major hospitals and tested a dedicated fibre connection before the intervention.

That operational detail underlines the challenge of moving remote robotic stroke treatment from a single case into routine service. Hospitals would need suitable connectivity, trained staff on site, patient screening processes and systems to support rapid escalation in emergencies.

For now, the Panama case is an early proof point for the field rather than an immediately deployable model of care. The Iris System remains under development and has not been cleared for commercial distribution in any country.

"Mechanical thrombectomy is proven to reduce mortality and disability in patients with ischemic stroke, but unfortunately access to the procedure is extremely low. The work XCath has done with the Iris System is a giant step toward broadening access to stroke endovascular treatment for patients around the world. It is the highlight of my career to be involved in this historic achievement," said Pereira.