CUHK researchers perform Hong Kong’s first robot-assisted pelvic fracture surgery
A team of researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has conducted the city’s first robot-assisted pelvic fracture surgery in what promises to be a safer, less intrusive alternative to a procedure typically considered among the most challenging. CUHK’s faculty of medicine on Friday said the novel orthopaedic robotic surgical system could turn a “new page” in trauma care amid a…
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has performed the city's first robot-assisted pelvic fracture surgery, marking a potential breakthrough in trauma care. This novel orthopaedic robotic surgical system offers a safer, less invasive alternative to traditional procedures. Dr Ronald Wong Man-yeung, a clinical associate professor in CUHK's department of orthopaedics and traumatology, highlighted that the system provided a precise, minimally invasive means for pelvic fracture reduction, especially beneficial for elderly patients with multiple medical conditions.
Pelvic fractures, often life-threatening and increasingly common in Hong Kong due to the ageing population, have a one-year mortality rate as high as 15 percent. The new system, developed with Beijing Jishuitan Hospital's National Orthopaedic Medical Centre, employs real-time 3D imaging and robotic arms to realign and fix fractures.
Since June, the university's team has successfully utilized the system in three procedures at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin, significantly reducing blood loss compared to traditional open surgery. While the system shows promise, it has limitations, such as being less effective for fractures older than two weeks or severe fractures affecting both sides of the pelvis.
The team is working on developing next-generation surgical technologies integrated with artificial intelligence and has filed two provisional patents in the United States. To expand the use of the robotic system, CUHK is organizing workshops to educate healthcare professionals.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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