Palm-Sized Innovation: How Microbot Medical Is Helping Redefine Surgical Robotics

Representing a significant advancement in healthcare, endovascular procedures performed inside blood vessels embody the intersection of medicine and technology. By addressing critical conditions such as cancer, stroke and blockages, such interventions are often life-and-limb-saving. At the same time, the endovascular approach suffers from significant unmet needs – needs that Microbot Medical Inc. MBOT is rising to meet with this morning's announcement that it has submitted for FDA clearance to commence commercialization of its LIBERTY Endovascular Robotic System.

Microbot's core mission centers on delivering robotic solutions that redefine endovascular procedures. Microbot is working on fulfilling its mission with LIBERTY, the world's first fully disposable, single-use robotic platform. The company believes that this groundbreaking system has the potential to deliver exceptional precision while simultaneously improving safety and enhancing procedural efficiency and overall workflow.

Microbot believes the benefit of the LIBERTY platform is a win-win for all critical stakeholders.  Naturally, the primary benchmark is patient outcomes. However, Microbot's robotic system is also designed to enhance operator safety while reducing burdens, both of the financial variety as well as the human cost.

Cracks In The Lifeline: The Hidden Struggles Of Endovascular Care

Unsurprisingly, given its relevance and criticality, the endovascular market is large. Every year, more than 15,000 U.S. physicians perform approximately six million manual endovascular procedures in the U.S., according to estimates compiled by Microbot, and annual spending for endovascular treatments exceeds $40 billion. However, the current standard of care features several shortfalls, including a shortage of trained professionals that limits patient access to quality care.

From the healthcare practitioners’ perspective, endovascular procedures carry significant risks. These procedures use X-rays to produce the images, exposing medical personnel to harmful radiation. For example, physicians who perform endovascular procedures are six times more likely to develop cataracts and three times more likely to develop cancer.

Beyond the high-level concerns lie everyday obstacles, particularly clinical staff being required to wear heavy lead protective gear, resulting in 67% of physicians being more likely to experience knee and back pain and 14% more likely to seek short or long-term disability.

Microbot says the advancement of the LIBERTY system is bridging these gaps, offering a safe solution that has the potential to enhance precision, reduce risks and improve the overall quality of care.

Engineering Efficiency In The Operating Room

Microbot reports that LIBERTY distinguishes itself in the growing surgical robotics landscape by addressing gaps in endovascular care. Unlike companies such as Intuitive Surgical, Inc. ISRG, which focuses primarily on soft tissue procedures, Microbot has strategically positioned LIBERTY to focus on the endovascular space – an area that it believes is both high-stakes and underserved by current robotic technologies.

One of the most compelling and unique advantages of the LIBERTY system is its fully disposable, single-use design, which eliminates the up-front capital expense and the need for costly infrastructure. Coupled with its palm-size footprint, LIBERTY eliminates a traditional barrier to robotics adoption in healthcare facilities. This approach is designed to ensure that LIBERTY is accessible to a broader range of healthcare providers, including those in resource-constrained environments such as community hospitals and outpatient surgery centers.

LIBERTY allows physicians to perform endovascular procedures away from the radiation source using a video game-like remote controller to navigate guidewires and catheters in the body.  This feature reduces radiation exposure for operators, while its ergonomic design mitigates the physical strain on physicians – an often-overlooked challenge in healthcare.

Microbot's forward-thinking approach is not just about solving technical challenges; it is about fundamentally transforming how endovascular interventions are performed. By streamlining workflows, lowering costs and prioritizing safety, the LIBERTY system seeks to revolutionize the robotics industry, ensuring a more efficient and inclusive future for healthcare.

The company's premarket notification submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) following the successful completion of its pivotal clinical trial underscores Microbot's commitment to safety and efficacy. Anticipated clearance by the regulatory agency in the second quarter of 2025 potentially positions LIBERTY as a transformative solution for the endovascular space. Successful clearance would mark LIBERTY as the world's first commercially available single-use robotic system, says Microbot.

A Vision For The Future Of Healthcare

Microbot Medical is helping introduce a pivotal shift in the endovascular healthcare landscape, addressing long-standing challenges in endovascular care with its LIBERTY Endovascular Robotic System. By combining cutting-edge technology with an innovative business model, the company is looking to eliminate barriers to adoption, enable greater access to robotic solutions and improve outcomes for patients and practitioners alike. LIBERTY's fully disposable, single-use design meets a clear need, potentially delivering efficiency, safety and accessibility to the growing world of endovascular interventions.

As the healthcare industry continues to face growing demands and workforce shortages, innovations like LIBERTY are essential to make healthcare more accessible for patients. With FDA clearance anticipated in 2025 and a clear vision for the future, Microbot Medical is not just enhancing surgical procedures – it is striving to help reshape the future of care delivery to ensure that life-saving technologies are within reach for providers and patients across the globe.

Featured photo courtesy of Microbot Medical

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