1. The Flex Robotic System
Thomas Totillo
BME 281

2. Overview
Minimally invasive surgery
Flexible arms
Hard-to-reach places

3. History
600 BC  Sushruta records and performs cosmetic surgery, and plastic surgery
1300’s  Guy de Chauliac
1958  First pacemaker was implanted
1999  Robotic surgeries (da Vinci)
2015  The Flex

4. Technology Flexible, steerable scope Flexible surgical tools
Roughly 7 different tools
One operator
HD visualization board

5. The Flex July 2015 Adults over 22 years of age
Different than the da Vinci system
Includes control system with video screen, and a cart for the machine itself
Much cheaper than other robotic systems

6. Applications Remove inoperable tumors
Surgery anywhere in the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx
Examples: split vocal cord synechiae, take out a tongue lesion

7. Advantages Cheaper than other robotic surgeries
Easy to set up and move
Small footprint and highly mobile
Can reach hard-to-reach/impossible places
Shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery time
Minimally invasive
Doctor performs operation in front of the patient’s bed
Doesn’t ruin the laryngeal framework

8. Limitations Can only do surgeries entering through the throat
Not many surgical tools

9. Future Capabilities
Colorectal Surgeries
Autonomous Surgeons?

10. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_of_surgery