Robotic intracranial navigation using a magnetically steerable guidewire: In-vitro feasibility study and comparison of performance with standard devices for stroke treatment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

Timely treatment of ischemic stroke is critical, yet access to specialized neurointerventionalists remains limited, particularly in remote or underserved areas. This gap in care delivery motivates the development of technologies enabling remote neurointerventions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This feasibility study evaluated the performance of a magnetically steerable guidewire system, operated with manual catheter advancement, in comparison to standard manual navigation techniques. Experiments were conducted in an in-vitro silicone vascular model simulating both standard and complex anatomies. Nine neurointerventionalists participated after less than one hour of pre-procedural training on the robotic system. Procedures were performed via femoral and radial access routes.

RESULTS:

The magnetically steerable guidewire system demonstrated procedural success and navigation times comparable to standard manual navigation methods, with no statistically significant differences. Importantly, the magnetically steerable guidewire system approach significantly reduced the average number of devices required per procedure (three vs. five, p < 0.0001), suggesting a simplification of procedural workflow.

CONCLUSION:

The magnetically steerable guidewire system offers a promising step toward enabling remote neurointerventions by maintaining procedural efficacy while reducing device complexity. These findings support further development of robotic systems to assist in stroke treatment that are both effective and operationally efficient.