Robocath announced today that it successfully completed the first robotic coronary angioplasties on the continent of Africa with its R-One system.
The Rouen, France-based company performed six successful robotic coronary angioplasties in Cape Town. Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital interventional cardiologist Dr. Faizel Lorgat performed the percutaneous coronary interventions as part of a distribution agreement with Vertice MedTechGroup.
Robocath said the successful procedures could lead to a purpose-made register that will add to its clinical database as it continues with a parallel European study for the R-One with 60 patients.
“Dr. Faizel Lorgat is a recognized interventional cardiologist who shares our vision of the future of interventional medicine,” Robocath CEO Lucien Goffart said in a news release. “He was one of the first robotic operators worldwide in the vascular sector and we are delighted today to share with the Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital team their satisfaction in completing this first for the continent of Africa.”
“We are delighted with the success of these first robotic procedures at the Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital, a model institution in the treatment of heart disease,” added Robocath chairman & founder Philippe Bencteux. “This facility commemorates the surgeon who performed the world’s first heart transplant, in Cape Town. We are pleased to see its determined focus on innovation and excellence being reflected and continuing today with our robot.”
“Six interventions have been successfully completed since the installation of the system in the hospital,” Lorgat said. “I have been following this project closely for several years, as my experience with robotics in electrophysiology has clearly shown me all the benefits that such devices can have for our profession and ultimately, for the patient.”
R-One is designed to enable and enhance interventional procedures, such as coronary angioplasty, “offering a better working environment for physicians and the entire medical team,” according to Robocath.
The R-One device won CE Mark approval in February and pulled in $5.5 million in September, which it had earmarked for the R-One platform. In May 2017, Robocath landed $5.2 million in one funding round, before adding $2 million just more than six months later.
Also in September, the company announced that it completed its first two coronary angioplasties performed with the R-One. Both procedures were performed in France, as Drs. Eric Durand and Rémi Sabatier oversaw one at Rouen University Hospital and Dr. Jean Fajadet performed one at Clinique Pasteur in Toulouse.
