Asan Medical Center Treats Angina Patient with 'Physical AI' Cardiovascular Intervention Robot

AVIAR, Korea’s First Domestic System, Demonstrates Competitiveness with 1 mm Precision Control Procedures
Patient Options Expanded with Official Reimbursement

The domestically developed "physical AI," which combines artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, has been deployed in the field of cardiovascular intervention procedures to successfully and safely treat patients with conditions such as angina and myocardial infarction.

Professor Jungmin Ahn from the Department of Cardiology at Asan Medical Center performed a procedure using the percutaneous coronary intervention assist robot 'AVIAR' in the cardiovascular angiography room on the 27th of last month. Asan Medical Center.

Asan Medical Center announced on April 6 that the cardiology team led by Professor Jungmin An recently performed a procedure using the percutaneous coronary intervention assist robot "AVIAR" on a 56-year-old male patient, Mr. Park, who was suffering from angina. As a result, the patient was able to leave the hospital in good health just one day after the procedure, with no complications.

The AVIAR, Korea’s first domestically developed coronary intervention robot, was created in 2019 based on Asan Medical Center’s medical robotics expertise and know-how. After undergoing enhancements and improvements, AVIAR obtained product approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in February 2023 and has since been used in pilot clinical studies at Asan Medical Center, Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital, Gangbuk Samsung Hospital, and other institutions. Designated as an innovative medical technology in December 2024, it was introduced into actual clinical settings nearly one year later. With official reimbursement now available, it offers patients a safer and more precise new treatment option.

Percutaneous coronary intervention is a highly complex procedure in which a thin catheter is inserted into the coronary arteries of the heart. A balloon is advanced into the narrowed artery to widen it, and a stent is placed to keep it open. This procedure is performed on patients with angina or myocardial infarction, where the coronary arteries have narrowed or become blocked due to atherosclerosis or thrombosis. Previously, medical staff had to perform the procedure manually while monitoring real-time X-ray images, resulting in prolonged radiation exposure and significant physical strain from wearing heavy lead aprons.

The coronary intervention assist robot was developed to address these challenges in the medical environment. Notably, unlike conventional overseas robotic systems, AVIAR is the world’s first multi-channel system capable of simultaneously mounting and controlling up to five interventional tools—such as guidewires, balloons, and stents. This enables precise, optimized care even for patients with highly complex lesions, such as those with severe vascular curvature or calcified, rigid arteries.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Assistance Robot 'Aviator (AVIAR)'. It consists of a console (right) where the operator remotely controls the robot and a device operation unit (left) that performs the actual procedure. Asan Medical Center, Seoul.

Compared to foreign robotic systems, AVIAR reduces procedure time by more than 46% and decreases patient radiation exposure by over 22%. It also maximizes patient safety through higher accuracy using real-time AI imaging guidance and reduces the amount of contrast agent required. Since the operator can remotely control the instruments from the console, their risk of radiation exposure is also greatly reduced.

In addition, AVIAR features precise positional control in 1 mm increments and includes haptic feedback to convey subtle tactile sensations during procedures, further enhancing accuracy. Its AI-based computer system provides medical staff with real-time data—such as vascular curve analysis—essential for decision-making during interventions.

Professor Jungmin An stated, "The success of this procedure proves that the domestically developed coronary intervention robot is both safe and precise. Moving forward, we will continue research to advance clinical techniques using the robot, accumulate additional clinical evidence, and expand its application to a wider variety of procedures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.