Localization of the surgery robots are being accelerated as Korean medical sphere is about to lead elaborate robot surgery sector.

According to the medical industry on April 2, Severance Hospital, which introduced the first robotic surgery in Korea in 2005, has accumulated more than 16,000 cumulative surgeries until February this year. This is one of the best performances in the world and is expected to reach 20,000 in the next two to three years.

Korean medical experts are also taking the lead in the development of robot surgery technology. Seoul Asan Medical Center has recently been able to operate with a ‘Single-ball robot operation method’, in which a patient with a cancer cell transplanted from the large intestine to the liver is pierced only by a hole in the abdomen. And this method received domestic and foreign medical attention.


All of these robotic surgeries were possible thanks to the laparoscopic surgical robot ``Da Vinci`` developed by American Intuitive Surgical. Da Vinci, which monopolizes the surgical robot market, has an annual maintenance cost of KRW 2.5 billion to KRW 3 billion and 64 units have already been distributed nationwide, and follow-on models are being introduced.

Meanwhile, a small and medium-sized company, Meere Company, has been developing Revo-i, a surgical robot that breaks the exclusive structure of Da Vinci. The company, which has been developing surgical robots for 10 years under cooperation with Severance Hospital, recently submitted a report on the results of the clinical trials to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. In clinical trials, Revo-i was reported to be successful in removing prostate cancer and gallbladder gall stones, in the same way as Da Vinci. Meere Company plans to apply for approval of the items in the future and cooperate with Severance Hospital in earnest. This product will lower the cost of relatively expensive robot surgery.

Seoul Asan Medical Center is engaged in research on next-generation medical robots under cooperation with Intuitive surgical, a source of surgical robots. The two institutions have recently concluded a joint research agreement and are discussing concrete measures.

In addition to abdominal surgery, localization of robots for joints and brain surgery was also performed. Curexo Inc. recently launched a new artificial knee and hip surgery robot ``T Solution One`` and signed a supply contract with a hospital in Busan. The robot reconstructs the surgical site in 3D, calculates the position and angle of the bone to be cut, and carries out precisely as it is. ``T Solution One`` has been launched not only in Korea but also in the United States, and is also making progress in Europe.

Kooyong Technology developed a 3D robot for the brain surgery called ``Geno Guide`` and obtained permission to manufacture and sell it in December last year from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The company plans to launch the product this year and advance into the world market such as the United States.

The development of Korean surgical robots is also in full swing in the field of research. Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) is researching robots that operate on micro parts such as nerves, brains, and spines which have not been approached by existing surgical robots. Micro Medical Robot Center of Chonnam University is working on development of diagnosis and treatment micro robot in the size of micro-nano.

An expert from the surgical robot industry mentioned, ‘As the base of robot surgery is expanded due to the localization of surgical robots, there will be more opportunities for patients to receive quality medical services as well as for corporate growth. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being developed worldwide and technological competition will become more intense in the future. ‘

By Nam Do Yeong namdo0@


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