The company is assessing the ability of the Versius system to carry out upper GI, gynaecological, colorectal and renal surgery in cadaveric trials. 

The system has already showed the ability to visualise and access all the surgical workspaces and to undertake tissue manipulation, suturing, needle driving and electro-surgery.

CMR has built 20 robotic arms, built and tested nine different variants of its fully articulated 5mm instruments.

The company has so far performed 11 usability studies. The Versius system has been utilized by 32 surgeons.

CMR technology director Luke Hares said: “I am pleased to say the system performance in the October and November cadaveric trials was exactly as expected.

“This has validated the universal surgical robot concept that CMR has been developing – using numerous robotic arms in a flexible, modular, system to provide the versatility and dexterity necessary to support the majority of laparoscopic procedures.”

The company's medical advisory board members have completed a series of simulation and cadaveric trials with the Versius system.

The initial round of trials included the conformation of the system's ability to perform surgery in the upper abdomen, and for colorectal and pelvic surgery.

In the next phase, the study has been extended to individual operations to further evaluate the capability of the system and the performance of the graspers, scissors, electrocautery and needle drivers.


Image: CMR displaying its new Versius robotic surgery system. Photo: Courtesy of Cambridge Medical Robotics Limited.