A medical team in China has carried out what is being described as the world’s first congenital heart surgery guided by an AI-powered ultrasound robot, marking a new development in minimally invasive cardiovascular treatment.
The procedure was performed on a 48-year-old man on Saturday by the Senior Department of Cardiology at the Sixth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, also known as 301 Hospital. An authoritative institution’s search identified the procedure as a world first.
The hospital said the operation marked a breakthrough in using intelligent imaging robots for minimally invasive interventions involving structural heart disease.
Unlike conventional interventional robots, which are mainly designed to deliver medical devices, the AI-powered ultrasound robotic system enables 2-way coordination between image recognition and surgical manipulation.
During the procedure, the robot autonomously handled image acquisition, lesion localization and real-time navigation. It supported the medical team in selecting and accurately deploying the occluder.
The system helped reduce the risk of human error while improving the precision and safety of complex congenital heart disease procedures. It also streamlined the surgical process and shortened the procedure time.
The successful operation introduces a new approach to cardiovascular intervention by combining AI with medical robotics. The technology could reduce the dependence on physicians’ experience in ultrasound-guided procedures for complex structural heart conditions while improving the safety and scalability of minimally invasive surgery.
The hospital said the technology could have applications beyond routine cardiovascular interventions. Potential uses include rapid diagnosis of battlefield and trauma injuries, remote robotic surgery and medical support for primary-level healthcare institutions.
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