Although the traditional surgical approach still represents in many cases the “gold standard” in the treatment of neoplastic pathologies, the micro-invasive intervention is rapidly spreading and is sometimes the only mode of intervention, in cases where the clinical condition of the patient does not allow the conventional approach or the extent of the injury is not such as to justify the risks associated with surgery. The micro-invasive approach also allows to intervene selectively on the portion of tissue affected by the neoplastic lesion, thus safeguarding the healthy part of the organ and its physiology; this contributes to improving the quality of life of the patient and the effectiveness of the intervention. In most cases, the means of access to the organ are also preserved, thus not precluding the possibility of reprocessing in different ways, if necessary.

In order to develop and validate new techniques of micro-interventionalinvasive ELESTA, in partnership with 3 local companies and the Department of Translational Research and new technologies in Medicine and Surgery of the University of Pisa has submitted an application for co-financing for the SMART project on a call issued by the region Tuscany.

The overall objective of the project is to acquire new knowledge, consolidate and increase the research potential in clinical, scientific and industrial technologies for the development of micro-proceduresinvasive in the field of oncology through the study and development of innovative technologies and methods for the implementation of an integrated system that allows execution and support to procedures with specific functionalities for clinical applications of relevant health interest such as degenerative and neoplastic pathologies of prostate and thyroid.

This product would guarantee benefits for the National Health Service, both in economic and organizational terms, as the technologies implemented will allow a reduction in hospitalization of patients, reduced use of operating theatres and more efficient patient management thanks to outpatient, short-term treatments that do not require hospitalization.

Further benefits could also be seen in the improvement of the patient’s quality of life, thanks to micro-invasive interventions carried out in the absence of general anesthesia that allow the patient to return to their daily activities already a few hours after surgery, thus having a reduced impact in terms of social costs.

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