British company CMR Surgical has partnered with the AdventHealth Nicholson Center to launch the first U.S.-based training program for its new surgical robotic system Versius. Through this partnership, the Nicholson Center helped train 27 surgical teams, which included more than 100 healthcare professionals, and assisted in nine weeks of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) validation studies ahead of the planned 2019 introduction of Versius in the U.S.
The AdventHealth Nicholson Center is an American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institute (ACS-AEI) dedicated to educating and training surgeons using simulation-based education. CMR is the first surgical robotics company to partner with an external training facility to conduct its surgical training.
“The Nicholson Center’s goal is to continue offering surgeons the ability to train on the latest and most advanced medical technology, and CMR Surgical’s Versius fits the bill,” said Roger Smith, PhD, Chief Technology Officer of the Nicholson Center. “This collaboration allows surgeons a chance to safely and realistically train with a completely unique, yet user-friendly, operating style, increasing their confidence levels before using the technology in the field.”
Versius was designed to provide a more portable, transportable and affordable robotic surgery system that can easily be moved between operating rooms. It features a small form factor, modular design and individually cart-mounted arms. The system was designed to biomimic the human arm and also provides surgeons with 3D HD vision, an open surgeon console and a choice of ergonomic working positions.
“We are pleased to partner with the Nicholson Center to roll out a training program that introduces surgeons to Versius,” said Martin Frost, CEO, CMR Surgical. “This next generation surgical robotic system has been designed with the surgeon in mind, and we are confident that by supporting the necessary training, we can work with surgeons to realize the benefits of minimal access surgery for patients.”
Vipul Patel, MD, AdventHealth urological surgeon and president of the Society of Robotic Surgery successfully completed the first pre-clinical radical prostatectomy using the Versius system in the U.S. “I can see real value in CMR’s approach to developing a next generation surgical robot. The modular, portable design of Versius makes it a welcome addition to the surgical landscape,” said Dr. Patel.
The AdventHealth Nicholson Center is a high-tech training and education institute that focuses on disseminating leading-edge surgical knowledge and techniques for the global community. For over a decade, the center has trained more than 50,000 physicians from around the world, utilizing state-of-the-art surgical suites and labs, plus advanced medical simulation robotics and learning centers. The facility allows medical professionals to acquire and advance their skills in a highly collaborative surgical learning environment.
CMR Surgical, formed in 2014, has its headquarters in Cambridge, United Kingdom, and its vision is to make minimal access surgery universally accessible and affordable, transforming the existing market for surgical robotics while also addressing the six million people who still undergo open surgery each year.
For further information about the AdventHealth Nicholson Center, please visit www.NicholsonCenter.com.
