NIE 2023 | Beijing Shurui Xu Kai: Independent Innovation in the Field of Endoscopic Surgical Robots

Surgical robots can be divided into two main categories. One category is for hard tissues, such as orthopedic and neurosurgical robots, while the other category is for soft tissue endoscopic surgical robots. Endoscopic surgical robots solve the clinical pain points associated with traditional endoscopic surgical tools. Xu Kai analyzed the reasons why Da Vinci's surgical robot achieved significant commercial success: First, by adding two additional joints and clamps at the end of the long rod-shaped tool, the number of degrees of freedom was increased to seven, enhancing the flexibility of the surgical tool within the patient's body cavity. Second, a master-slave operation method is adopted, where the doctor's finger movements are 1:1 replicated onto the surgical tool, providing an intuitive operation experience. Third, high-definition binocular imaging and an immersive operation method allow doctors to have a more intuitive hand-eye coordination during operation, reducing the need for pre-training. Fourth, the motion mapping scaling function filters out hand tremors, enabling doctors to perform very precise operations. These advantages have led to their widespread application and recognition globally.

Xu Kai pointed out that laparoscopic surgical robots are mainly divided into two categories: multi-port and single-port. There are two main configurations in the design of multi-port laparoscopic surgical robots: one is the integrated robot, represented by Leonardo da Vinci, who monopolized the field of multi-port surgical robots by applying for patents on various technical paths. The other is the split-body robot, with many related patents expiring around 2016, including Medtronic's Hugo and Asensus Surgical's Senhance, which both adopted split-body robots and entered the laparoscopic surgical robot market.

Patients' pursuit of smaller trauma has led to a demand for single-port surgery. Xu Kai stated that currently, all surgical instruments in single-port surgery enter through the same abdominal incision, limiting the angle and operational flexibility of the instruments, making simple suturing extremely difficult. This has also faced numerous obstacles in the development of single-port laparoscopic surgical robots because it is necessary to simultaneously deliver a visual module with lighting capabilities, 2 to 3 surgical instruments, and a skin incision into the patient's body cavity. Currently, each technical route has its own clear shortcomings, including poor wear resistance, high costs, and design that does not meet medical standards.

The 'dual continuum mechanism' technology invented by the Suratronics team not only maintains the flexibility of snake-like surgical tools but also significantly enhances their reliability and load capacity. In addition, Suratronics has developed complex control algorithms that make this continuum robot more flexible and safe during surgery.

In 2018, Shuree began the industrialization of its single-port laparoscopic surgical robot. Currently, Shuree's robot has completed the world's first randomized controlled single-port robotic urological clinical trial and has received marketing approval from the drug regulatory authority, becoming the first domestic endoscopic single-port surgical system. It uses internationally pioneering technology to fill a domestic gap. Xu Kai stated that at the 2023 American Urological Association Annual Meeting, Shuree's single-port surgical robot received praise from many foreign experts. Professor Patel, the medical director of the Global Robotics Institute and founder and director of the International Prostate Cancer Foundation, said that with Shuree's technology, it is very likely that in the future, most multi-port surgeries will be replaced by single-port surgeries, minimizing patient trauma. This is a great help for patients.