China’s domestically developed surgical robots are challenging the monopoly position of the “da Vinci” system.
2021-10-20
The emergence of domestically produced surgical robots, while pursuing high quality, has further reduced economic costs and improved cost-effectiveness. We believe that robotic surgery will, just like traditional laparoscopic surgery, “take root and flourish everywhere.”
Ji Mei, Professor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
On October 10, reporters from Science and Technology Daily learned that China’s independently developed Jingfeng surgical robot has, following the completion last month of a multi-center, randomized, parallel-controlled clinical trial in urology, now officially launched a new multi-center, randomized, single-blind, parallel-controlled registered clinical trial in the field of gynecology. This clinical trial is being conducted under the guidance of Lang Jinghe, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and honorary director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and is led by Professor Meng Yuanguang from the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, in collaboration with Professor Ji Mei from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University.
China's domestically developed surgical robots are approaching the international leading level.
The development of medical robots can be traced back to 1985. Based on their application scenarios, medical robots can be categorized into four types: surgical robots, rehabilitation robots, service robots, and assistive robots. Among these, surgical robots represent the largest category, accounting for approximately 37% of all medical robots. Leading the way in surgical robotics is the "da Vinci Surgical System" developed by Intuitive Surgical of the United States, which holds half of the global surgical robot market. Compared with conventional minimally invasive surgery, robot-assisted surgery offers advantages such as improved surgical outcomes and an expanded scope of surgical treatments.
The advantages of surgical robots are evident, yet their complex technology, high cost, and heavy reliance on imports have become obstacles to the development of robotic surgery in China. Therefore, it is particularly important to develop domestically produced surgical robots and conduct clinical application trials.
“Judging from this registered clinical trial, the domestically produced Jingfeng surgical robot is stable and safe, and its performance has already come very close to the internationally leading level,” said Professor Huang Jian, Chairman of the Urology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and Director of the Department of Urology at Sun Yat-sen University First Hospital. “Thanks to advantages such as clearer visualization, more precise manipulation, and better surgical outcomes, robot-assisted surgery will gradually replace laparoscopic surgery.”
Currently, the clinical registration trial for the Jingfeng Surgical Robot MP System has completed patient enrollment, marking the beginning of the clinical application of China’s fully independently developed and manufactured medical surgical robot system.
This registered clinical trial is jointly conducted by Professor Zhang Xu from the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army of China, Professor Lin Tianxin from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Zhou Fangjian from the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Center of Sun Yat-sen University, and Professor Zhang Xuepei from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University.
Experts noted that, as validated by this registered clinical trial, the Jingfeng Surgical Robot MP System is capable of meeting the demands of complex surgeries in urology, such as prostate cancer and kidney cancer. During the trial, the system demonstrated outstanding performance, with stable operation throughout the procedure, safe handling, smooth workflow, minimal intraoperative bleeding, and favorable postoperative patient outcomes.
Zhang Xu pointed out: “Minimally invasive, intelligent, and precision-based surgical procedures are the general trend. The application of surgical robots—especially domestically produced ones—will help make complex surgeries simpler, more standardized, more regulated, and more consistent.”
It is expected to “bloom everywhere” just like laparoscopic surgery.
“Surgical robots of this type have long been monopolized by imported brands, and the high cost of surgery has deterred many patients, thereby hindering, to some extent, the further adoption and development of robotic surgery in China,” said Wang Jianchen, CEO of Jingfeng Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
Meng Yuanguang stated that the multidisciplinary applications of robots have already been recognized, but currently, due to issues such as price, they haven't become widely adopted. Domestically produced surgical robots have filled a domestic gap, enabling high-end medical resources to truly reach grassroots healthcare settings.
“The emergence of domestically produced surgical robots, while pursuing high quality, has further reduced economic costs and improved cost-effectiveness. The strong entry of these domestically made surgical robots and the healthy competition within the industry have made it inevitable that robotic surgery prices will become more affordable. We believe that robotic surgery, just like traditional laparoscopic surgery, will ‘bloom everywhere’,” noted Ji Mei.
According to relevant data projections, China’s surgical robot market will grow from US$400 million in 2020 to US$3.8 billion by 2026. Meanwhile, as the incidence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, neurovascular, and oncological conditions continues to rise, surgical robots are poised to capture an even larger market.
“We look forward to continuous innovation, improvement, and refinement of domestically produced surgical robots,” said Liu Zhuowei, a professor at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. “Even more, we anticipate that in the near future, training platforms for domestically produced surgical robots will be available across the country, enabling us to train more specialized minimally invasive surgeons who are proficient in robot-assisted surgical techniques.”
Source: Science and Technology Daily
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