Discover the characteristics of this new robot
Le robot, which will help in the oncology department, consists of small magnetic tentacles and measures only two millimeters in diameter. Once inside the lungs, it is guided by large magnets which are outside the patient. The purpose of the robot is to reach the small bronchi of the lung in order to be able to take tissue samples there or to administer a cancer treatment spcial.
The tests carried out by the researchers
For now, the robot magnetic n has been tested only in the laboratory, on a 3D replica of a bronchial tree. The next phase of experiments will allow researchers at the University of Leeds to study the effectiveness of the device in the ultrasound of these organs often affected by air pollution. The lungs that will be used for these tests will be taken from a corpse.
Screening for cancerous tumors using a robot Photography Courtesy of University of Leeds
The current procedure for screening for lung cancer
The current process for detecting new cases of cancerous tumors involves inserting a flexible instrument that looks like a tube into the lungs. This device, which is 3.5 to 4 millimeters in diameter, is inserted through the mouth or nose. However, this technique which resembles a surgical intervention does not allow exploration of certain higher levels of the bronchial tree. In order to penetrate more deeply into this bodies, a catheter or a thin tube is passed through the bronchoscope. The manipulation is however quite limited for the diagnosis of small cancerous cells. The robot created by British researchers could therefore remedy this problem.
Additional information about this robot
Being guided from the outside, the magnetic robot can reach all areas of the organ for the detection of cancerous tumors. This is a technology that could ultimately prove to be easier to use for caregivers and more pleasant for patients. cancer patients. The first results of the clinical trials have been published in the journal Soft Robotics.
With ETX Studio/AFP