ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc. today announced that the University Hospital in Olsztyn, in collaboration with the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, will become the first center in Poland and Eastern Europe to offer completely non-invasive brain tumor treatments with the ZAP-X® Gyroscopic Radiosurgery® platform. System installation has commenced, and first patient treatments are planned to begin in early 2023.
As a completely non-invasive outpatient treatment for select brain tumors and metastatic disease, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a proven alternative to historical surgical procedures. Unlike surgery, however, the SRS procedure requires no incisions and is painless. In most cases, patients immediately return to normal activities following SRS.
The recently unveiled ZAP-X radiosurgery system is renowned for its unique use of two axes of motion to direct radiation beams from hundreds of unique angles. This maneuverability allows clinicians to lower incidental radiation exposure to the brain and nearby organs at-risk, thus aiming to lower the potential for patient complications.
“To protect the healthy brain and preserve patient cognitive function, cranial radiosurgery requires exacting precision beyond that which is typical of conventional radiotherapy of the body,” says Prof. Dr. Sergiusz Nawrocki, Head of the Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy Clinic at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, and Head of the University Medical College. “From the gyroscopic dual axes design, down to the smallest details, everything about ZAP-X is purpose-built for SRS, and will allow us to better focus high-intensity radiation on tumors while strictly controlling potential radiation exposure of critical structures such as the eyes and brain stem.”
The ZAP-X system is the latest advance in surgical robotics and first new dedicated cranial radiosurgery platform in nearly half a century. Prior to ZAP-X, state-of-the-art SRS often required hospitals to house large quantities of costly and dangerous Cobalt-60 for radiosurgery beam generation. ZAP-X eliminates this requirement by using leading-edge linear accelerator technology.
ZAP-X is also the first and only radiation delivery system to eliminate the need for 2-3-million-pound concrete radiation treatment vaults, thereby allowing for exterior treatment suite windows for the first time ever. This breakthrough not only creates a more comfortable patient experience, but also brings world-class SRS to communities previously considered infeasible by significantly reducing healthcare system costs.
Detailed system videos can be found on Zap Surgical’s YouTube page.