Feasibility study to evaluate the MMI Symani robotic system for microsurgical techniques in an in-vitro circulation model

Melanie Rusch; Grischa Hoffmann; Rouven Berndt; René Rusch

doi:10.1016/j.jvscit.2025.101767

Feasibility study to evaluate the MMI Symani robotic system for microsurgical techniques in an in-vitro circulation model

J Vasc Surg Cases Innov Tech. 2025 Mar 5;11(3):101767. doi: 10.1016/j.jvscit.2025.101767. eCollection 2025 Jun.

Authors

Melanie Rusch^{1

2}, Grischa Hoffmann^{1

2}, Rouven Berndt^{1

2}, René Rusch^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Clinic of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
² Kurt-Semm-Center for Laparoscopic and Robotic-Assisted Surgery, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.

Abstract

The Symani Surgical System is a novel robotic microsurgical platform. This study investigated its feasibility for arterial reconstructive techniques in an in vitro model. Two senior surgeons without preliminary expertise in robotic surgery performed different techniques in a porcine artery circulation model (bypass, patch plastic, and direct closure of arteriotomy). There was an overall improvement in procedure times with a minor leakage rate and upper range values in the qualitative assessment of anastomoses. In this model, the Symani Surgical System seems to be suitable for the robotic-assisted conductance of microsurgical procedures on arterial vessels.

Keywords: Bypass surgery; Cardiovascular surgery; Microsurgery; Minimally invasive surgery; Robotic surgery.