Descrizione del progetto
Automatizzare la procedura della biopsia prostatica
In Europa, la biopsia prostatica viene condotta ogni anno su oltre un milione di pazienti, con un tasso di errore diagnostico superiore al 30 %. La maggior parte degli errori sono dovuti a imprecisioni introdotte dall’uomo nell’identificare il bersaglio corretto della biopsia e ciò comporta la ripetizione della procedura o interventi chirurgici inutili. Il progetto PROST, finanziato dall’UE, svilupperà una base per l’introduzione di una procedura autonoma di biopsia prostatica che elimina la possibilità dell’errore umano nella procedura. Il primo obiettivo di PROST sarà la convalida tecnica del sistema autonomo per la biopsia prostatica, seguito da numerosi test su cadaveri finalizzati a stabilire il razionale clinico dell’utilizzo di un robot autonomo per la biopsia prostatica. Infine, il progetto svilupperà e convaliderà un piano aziendale per la valorizzazione commerciale del prototipo robotico.
Obiettivo
The PROST PoC proposal aims at demonstrating the technical, clinical and economical feasibility of autonomous prostate biopsy execution, by applying the technologies developed by the ERC project ARS (Autonomous Robotic Surgery) to a robotic prostate biopsy system. Prostate biopsy is a good candidate for the application of automation in clinical practice since it is a rather simple procedure, carried out on more than 1 Mil/year patients in Europe, and still affected by a diagnostic error higher than 30%. This means that about 300,000 patients in Europe alone, are directed to therapies that will require repeated biopsies or will make the patient undergo unnecessary surgeries. Errors are mostly due to human inaccuracy in identifying the correct biopsy target and in executing the free-hand biopsy. The PROST project aims at removing the human from the identification/execution process, thus reducing the diagnosis and execution errors. The project is made feasible by two enabling factors: the on going ERC project ARS that is developing sensing and control architecture for autonomous surgical robots, and the availability of a prototype of robot for prostate biopsy developed with a grant by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The PROST project will integrate the sensing and control architecture with the biopsy hardware and avoid lengthy hardware and software development. Thus, the first objective of the proposal is the technical validation of the autonomous prostate biopsy system. Then, extensive cadaveric tests will determine the clinical rationale to use an autonomous robot for prostate biopsy. Finally, the third objective of PROST is to develop and validate a business case for the commercial exploitation of the PROST prototype, addressing low cost/high volume cases. The positive results of these validations will be a strong motivation for the development of a start up company that will industrialize and medically certify the system.
Campo scientifico
- social sciencessociologyindustrial relationsautomation
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware development
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringroboticsautonomous robots
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinesurgeryrobotic surgery
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum PilotIstituzione ospitante
37129 Verona
Italia