Medical Microinstruments, Inc. (MMI) said it has completed the first cases in a neurosurgical clinical trial sponsored by the Jacobs Institute for the Symani Surgical System.
Dr. Adnan Siddiqui, a University at Buffalo Distinguished Professor and Vice Chairman in the Department of Neurosurgery (UBNS) at the State University of New York at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and CEO of the Jacobs Institute, performed indirect bypass, encephaloduroarteriosynagiosis (EDAS) surgery to restore adequate blood supply to the brain in three adults suffering from Moyamoya Disease (MMD). The surgeries took place at Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, Kaleida Health’s largest facility and hub for heart, vein and brain care.
“This advancement to first-in-human application builds on our 2024 preclinical study at the Jacobs Institute which confirmed Symani’s potential in brain surgery,” said Mark Toland, CEO of MMI. “Dr. Siddiqui’s cases demonstrate how Symani delivers the precision required for the delicate, highly skilled maneuvers that neurosurgery demands – capabilities that facilitate and potentially even exceed what the human hands alone can achieve. This milestone represents meaningful progress toward expanding robotic microsurgery into one of the most technically challenging areas of patient care.”
The investigational cases are part of an Early Feasibility Study approved by the FDA and sponsored by the Jacobs Institute, a nonprofit medical device innovation center that aims to accelerate the development of next-generation technologies in vascular and neurologic medicine. The study assesses the safety and preliminary effectiveness of Symani in performing robotic-assisted neurosurgery for adult patients with MMD. In general, surgical treatment aims to reduce the occurrence of stroke, seizures, paralysis, and vision problems for patients, including serious and permanent damage to the brain.
The Symani Surgical System is designed for the anastomosis and suturing of microscopic vessels with the thinnest available sutures. It has been used in more than 2,000 cases globally to provide care to patients in need of complex surgical treatment.
The Symani Surgical System has not been evaluated or cleared by regulatory agencies for use in neurosurgical applications.
