Academic Activity Report – AMSA
Practical Course in Robotic Neurosurgery: Use of the RoboticScope® Exoscope
National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery “Manuel Velasco Suárez”
March 31 – April 12, 2025
As part of the Medical Alliance for Health (AMSA)’s mission to reduce the educational and technological gap in Latin America, neurosurgeons Dr. Rodrigo Uribe Pacheco and Dr. Gerardo Guinto Nishimura, Fellows and Ambassadors of the Alliance, in collaboration with Dr. Sergio Moreno Jiménez, Deputy Director of Neurosurgery, organized and coordinated the Practical Course in Robotic Neurosurgery: Use of the RoboticScope® Exoscope, held at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery “Manuel Velasco Suárez” (INNNMVS).
With theoretical and hands-on components, this two-week intensive course marked an unprecedented effort in Mexico and Latin America to integrate cutting-edge robotic technologies into neurosurgical training. The program’s core was the innovative implementation of the RoboticScope®, a robotic-controlled digital exoscope developed in Innsbruck, Austria, by BHS Technologies. This system enables high-fidelity, ergonomic 3D microsurgical visualization through intuitive head gesture control via a Head-Mounted Display, offering greater safety and freedom of movement during neurosurgical procedures.
Dr. Rodrigo Uribe Pacheco gained early access to this technology during his academic observership at the Medical University of Innsbruck in 2023, where the Department of Neurosurgery, led by Prof. Claudius Thomé (Director of the Neurosurgery Program at the Open Medical Institute), conducted pilot testing and scientific studies on the ergonomics, adaptability, and clinical applications of this technology. Together with Dr. Gerardo Guinto Nishimura, Chief of Surgical Specialties at INNNMVS, they led theoretical and practical sessions on the use of the robotic exoscope in transcranial and spinal surgery, highlighting its value in complex lesion resection and its impact on surgical ergonomics.
The course included supervised practice with anatomical models, as well as the performance of high-complexity surgeries such as arteriovenous malformation resections, cerebral aneurysm clippings, meningioma and glioma resections, and anterior cervical arthrodesis. The RoboticScope® technology was successfully integrated into the routine workflow of neurosurgeons, residents, and specialists in Neuro-Otology and Neuro-Ophthalmology at the Institute.
This project was made possible thanks to the invaluable support of the Department of Education at INNNMVS, and the technical assistance of BHS Technologies and their representative in Mexico, CRAON (Proveedora Craneofacial), who provided the equipment used throughout the course and during surgical procedures.
The realization of this course reflects the commitment of AMSA and its Fellows to excellence in education, the implementation of cutting-edge medical technology, and the construction of international academic bridges. Through initiatives like this, AMSA contributes meaningfully to transforming access to advanced surgical knowledge and practice in our country and region.
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