Surgical innovation: intelligent turbine insufflator is here
The Politecnico di Milano and the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam pooled their medical and technical expertise to create a new technology for insufflators.
Insufflators are innovative instruments designed to create a temporary cavity in the bodies of patients through the application of pressurised gas, providing the surgeon with the necessary space to perform the surgical procedure from inside the body, and limiting the need for large incisions in the abdomen and chest.
Current insufflator technology has some limitations, such as with regard to the application of pressure that does not take into account the specific characteristics of the patient's tissues and breathing.
The new concept of intelligent turbine insufflation, developed and patented by the Politecnico di Milano and the Erasmus Medical Centre, aims to overcome these limitations. The new technology continuously adapts the insufflation pressure to the condition and breathing of the patient, improving operating conditions for the surgeon and outcomes for the patient.
Recently, the Erasmus Medical Centre and the Politecnico di Milano formed a public-private partnership with the spin-off Spatium Medical and the Australian design company IDE Group to develop and industrialise this and other technologies, and to launch the first clinical trial of the new insufflator. This important milestone was achieved with the first evaluation of a patient during surgery at the Erasmus Medical Centre. The study marks the introduction of the new insufflation technology into clinical practice.
We are very proud to have developed this innovative intelligent insufflation technology. This project is an excellent example of how collaboration between academic institutions and industrial partners can lead to significant advances in the field of minimally invasive surgery, improving both operating techniques and patient outcomes.
Raffaele Dellaca', Professor at the Department of Electronics, Informatics and Bioengineering