Northeast China's First Robot-Assisted Whole-Brain Angiography Completed

Background

Cerebral angiography is an established diagnostic imaging technique considered the gold standard for evaluating cerebrovascular conditions, including intracranial aneurysms and vascular anatomy following bypass surgery. It is particularly important for patients with complex anatomy, such as tortuous aortic arches, where precise visualization guides further management.

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University has developed expertise in neurosurgery and neurointerventional procedures. Professor Li Yongli serves as director of the hospital's neurosurgery third ward and leads an interventional team focused on cerebrovascular diseases. The hospital's neurosurgery department is listed among specialties in the national forefront in official profiles. Robotic assistance in neurointervention has been explored in clinical studies to address challenges including operator radiation exposure, procedure variability due to manual catheter manipulation, and contrast use.

What was achieved

According to a hospital news release dated February 12, 2026, Professor Li Yongli's neurosurgery interventional team successfully completed Northeast China's first (East Three Provinces) robot-assisted whole-brain cerebral angiography. The procedure was performed on a patient who had undergone cerebral artery bypass surgery and presented with complex aortic arch anatomy combined with an intracranial aneurysm. The team completed an efficient full-brain vascular assessment.

The procedure was conducted with the physician operating from an independent control room after initial vascular access. It demonstrated reductions in operative time, radiation dose, and contrast agent volume. With training and experience, operators could reduce angiography time from an average of approximately 30 minutes to around 12 minutes in the fastest cases. The hospital described the robot as providing a 'super stable extension hand' for the surgeon.

How it works

Whole-brain cerebral angiography involves inserting a catheter, typically via the femoral or radial artery, and advancing it under fluoroscopic guidance to selectively engage the major vessels supplying the brain (such as the carotid and vertebral arteries). Contrast agent is injected through the catheter while X-ray imaging, often using digital subtraction angiography (DSA), captures detailed views of the vascular tree to identify abnormalities like aneurysms, stenoses or malformations.

In the robot-assisted approach reported, after manual puncture, sheath placement and initial catheterization, the operator moves to a shielded control room. From a console, the surgeon remotely commands robotic mechanical arms positioned at the patient table. These arms advance, retract, rotate and manipulate catheters and guidewires with precision. The system also allows remote control of C-arm angles and high-pressure contrast injector parameters. This 'compartmentalized' operation enables the physician to avoid radiation exposure during fluoroscopy. The robot eliminates physiological hand tremor, offers adaptive soft contact, and through greater first-pass precision reduces the need for repeated catheter adjustments, fluoroscopy time, and contrast injections. A fast-loading system supports parallel preparation to shorten overall room time. Prior operator training and practice were noted to shorten the learning curve.

What it means for international patients

The hospital established Heilongjiang Province's first International Medical Center, integrating multidisciplinary resources to offer one-stop services including expert consultations, coordinated care from outpatient through follow-up, and a 5H service model (hospital-level care, hotel-like environment, home-like comfort, heartfelt nursing, happiness in experience). The center has treated international patients including from Russia, the United States and Thailand, with staff selected for clinical experience and foreign language proficiency.

This milestone in robot-assisted neurointerventional diagnostics indicates the availability of advanced cerebrovascular imaging options at the facility. International patients with complex cerebrovascular diseases interested in such techniques should confirm current eligibility, availability, preparation requirements and suitability directly with the hospital's International Medical Center, as individual cases vary and must be assessed by the clinical team.

About the hospital

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, is a large comprehensive tertiary class A public hospital located at 246 Xuefu Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. It serves as the second clinical medical college of Harbin Medical University and was founded in 1954. The hospital maintains more than 5,500 beds.

It reports approximately 2.2 million annual outpatient visits, 260,000 discharges and 130,000 surgical procedures. Official profiles highlight strengths in cardiovascular disease (one of the largest such departments nationally), neurosurgery, ultrasound medicine, anesthesiology, organ transplantation and emergency medicine. It operates a national emergency medicine rescue base and a national regional respiratory medical center project. The hospital has received A+ ratings in national tertiary public hospital performance evaluations for multiple years. It opened an International Medical Center to support overseas patients.