A stroke of genius

It may sound implausible, it may sound hopelessly futuristic, but it’s true – and it’s happening now. For the very first time, a robot has been guided remotely through a full transatlantic thrombectomy, by a neurosurgeon moving catheters and wires with the same control and resistance he’d feel if he were standing at the patient’s bedside.

Stroke care has been crying out for this kind of technological breakthrough. Each year, there are approximately 15 million strokes worldwide. For the UK, the aggregate social cost is roughly £26 billion per year, including £8.6 billion for NHS and social care.

An ischaemic stroke is caused by a large blocked brain vessel. A thrombectomy is considered the most effective treatment currently available, but there are some drawbacks. Namely, access to the procedure is hampered by a significant skills gap – an issue with which I’m sure many engineers will empathise. We just do not have enough interventional neuroradiologists available to carry out this vital work. 

The sad consequence of this lack of accessibility is that in many parts of the world, less than one percent of patients benefitted from life-saving treatment. In Scotland, in particular, only 212 patients received a thrombectomy in 2024, representing a mere 2.2 percent of those who had suffered from an ischaemic stroke. 

Read the full article in DPA's December 2025 issue