Full Press Release Details
London (United Kingdom) | 27 March 2024
Lightpoint Surgical Limited (Lightpoint), an affiliate of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX, Telix, the Company) today announces a world-first bladder cancer sentinel lymph node (SLN) procedure with SENSEI®, Telix’s miniature robotic-assisted gamma probe used to detect radiation in patients and guide surgery. The patient was operated on at Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, Spain.
SENSEI® is smaller than an AA battery and designed specifically for robotic-assisted and minimally invasive surgery. The miniature size and proprietary features make the technology ideal for tight surgical spaces such as around the bladder.
With broad application in radio-guided surgery across multiple procedures and major cancer types, SENSEI® is currently indicated for use during SLN biopsy in prostate, endometrial and cervical cancers. As part of an investigator-initiated clinical trial, SENSEI® was used by Dr. Lluís Cecchini with the da Vinci Xi surgical robotic platform in a patient scheduled for radical cystectomy and Bricker urinary diversion with SLN biopsy.
Dr. Lluís Cecchini, Head of Urology at Hospital del Mar said, “Lymph nodes around the bladder have a high chance of being cancerous and are therefore important to excise. Radio-guided surgery has historically been limited by the fact that gamma probes are generally only suitable for open surgery. The size and flexibility of SENSEI® meant it was easy to manipulate within the surgical cavity, see the gamma signal within the robotic console, and quickly locate the SLN, where I might otherwise not have known it was present. Being able to perform the procedure with minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissue is a high surgical priority. With SENSEI® we can deliver a more targeted, focused, and less complex experience for patients.”
Nynke van den Berg, General Manager Medical Technologies (MedTech) at Telix added, “A first bladder cancer procedure with the SENSEI® drop-in gamma probe is a significant milestone for Telix and the Lightpoint team. As we focus on aligning SENSEI® with our Illuccix® and TLX599-CDx programs for prostate cancer, this successful procedure demonstrates the potential and scope to expand use into other urologic malignancies – in line with our portfolio approach to support the patient from diagnosis to surgical intervention and therapy.”
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