Medical device firm Medrobotics has secured expanded CE mark approval for the Flex robotic system for use in colorectal applications.
The approval enables the Flex surgical platform to access hard to reach anatomy in both otolaryngology and colorectal procedures without the limits imposed by straight and rigid instruments.
Flex robotic system has been designed to help hospitals and surgeons to offer minimally-invasive treatment options for a wide range of patients.
The system enables surgeons to navigate complex anatomy and operate in hard-to-reach anatomical locations, which are inaccessible with straight, rigid surgical tools.
Medrobotics said that is the first firm to provide invasive, steerable and shapeable robotic products for colorectal procedures.
In March 2014, the company first secured CE mark approval for Flex robotic system.
The system, which is not yet cleared for colorectal applications in the US, secured FDA approval in July 2015.
Medrobotics CEO Samuel Straface Dr Samuel Straface said: “CE Mark for colorectal procedures is significant since it expands the number of patients who can be treated with the Flex® Robotic System and provides a true platform technology that multiple hospital departments can use.
“When combined with the unrivaled mobility of the system, European otolaryngology and colorectal surgeons can now perform minimally invasive surgery through the body’s natural orifices, offering the potential for truly scarless surgeries.”
Medrobotics medical advisory board co-chair Dr Marshall Strome said: "The Flex Robotic System has been clinically proven to provide access and visualization to surgical targets in difficult to reach locations such as the oropharynx and endolarynx in otolaryngology.”