AutoGuide Robot first appeared in Vietnam: A technological breakthrough in epilepsy treatment

5 years of perseverance in finding peaceful sleep for my child

Since 2021, baby BQK (born in 2016, Hanoi ) has started having unusual seizures. The diagnosis of epilepsy has caused the family to fall into a series of days of worry and anxiety. Ms. CLV, the baby's mother, shared: "At first, the child responded quite well to the medication, but by 2024, despite increasing the dose and combining many types of medication, the child still had frequent seizures, sometimes dozens of times a day."

Prolonged seizures not only put the baby at risk of falling and injury, but also seriously affect physical and mental development. Despite treatment in many places at home and abroad, the baby's condition did not improve. For nearly 5 years, the family has not given up hope, only hoping that the baby can live a healthy life and have a full night's sleep.

The AutoGuide Robot Arm helps doctors place electrodes into the skull accurately and quickly.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 30% of epilepsy patients do not respond to drug treatment – a condition called refractory epilepsy. In these cases, surgery to remove the epileptic focus is one of the most effective options. However, determining the exact location of the lesion in the brain is extremely difficult, especially when the diseased area is deep or widespread.

K.'s case was a complicated one. Existing techniques such as scalp electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or PET scan could not detect a clear epileptic focus. The patient had used the maximum dose of medication but could not control the disease.

After a multidisciplinary examination, consultation and comprehensive assessment, doctors at Vinmec Central Park decided to apply the most modern technique: placing intracranial electrodes under the guidance of the AutoGuide Robot - a technology never before deployed in Vietnam.

Robot AutoGuide – Cutting-edge technology opens new treatment paths

According to Master, Doctor Truong Van Tri - Head of the Department of Neurosurgery, to accurately determine the epileptic focus, doctors need to implant electrodes deep into the brain and record intracranial electroencephalogram (SEEG) continuously for many days. This is a specialized technique, requiring almost absolute precision so as not to damage important nerve structures and blood vessels.

In this case, the AutoGuide Robot acts as an intelligent navigation system, helping the doctor locate and insert electrodes into the brain accurately and quickly, minimizing invasiveness.

The team of doctors set up the AutoGuide Robot arm before proceeding to insert the electrode into the skull.

The robotic arm is pre-programmed to ensure the electrodes are placed in the correct position for examination without affecting the functional areas. The small incision of only a few millimeters helps reduce pain, limit the risk of infection and significantly shorten the surgery time.

“Previously, electrode placement relied mainly on skill and experience. Now, with AutoGuide, we achieve maximum accuracy in complex cases,” – Dr. Tri commented.

The intracranial EEG monitoring process lasted for 7 days, with the support of Associate Professor, Dr. Nakae Shunsuke, a neurologist from Japan. The recorded data helped identify the "culprit" - the epileptic focus of baby K. located deep in the right frontal orbit and lower frontal lobe - where many large nerves and blood vessels such as vision and smell are concentrated.

On June 17, 2025, the surgery to remove the epileptic focus was performed by Dr. Tri's team. Thanks to precise positioning from the robot, the surgery was safe, limited blood loss, short intervention time, and left no neurological sequelae.

Baby BQK recovered quickly after surgery

After more than 1 month of surgery, baby BQK recovered well, lived and played normally, without any neurological defects. Only 2 mild seizures were recorded during sleep - compared to dozens of seizures per day before. According to medical literature, epilepsy surgery can help 60-80% of patients control or completely eliminate seizures if performed correctly with the right indications and techniques.

Vinmec Central Park – Bringing Vietnamese neurology closer to international standards

The success of the case comes from the close coordination between specialties: neurosurgery, neurology, diagnostic imaging, anesthesia and resuscitation... along with a strong investment strategy in technology and human resources at Vinmec.

Vinmec Central Park is currently one of the few medical facilities in Vietnam that has successfully implemented SEEG intracranial electrode placement, owns the AutoGuide positioning robot system, has a team of doctors trained extensively abroad, and regularly cooperates with international experts.

Pediatric patients and doctors at Vinmec Central Park Hospital (HCMC).

The personalized treatment model – designing a separate treatment regimen for each patient – is also a difference that helps improve treatment effectiveness, especially in young children – a group of patients who are very sensitive to any neurological damage.

According to Dr. Tri, the successful surgery at Vinmec Central Park not only helped baby K. escape from persistent seizures, but also opened up a completely new direction in treating complex neurological diseases.

“We do not only use technology to treat diseases, but also turn technology into a guide for hope, helping the future of thousands of children no longer be blocked by seizures,” – Vinmec representative shared.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/robot-autoguide-lan-dau-xuat-hien-tai-viet-nam-buoc-ngoat-cong-nghe-trong-dieu-tri-dong-kinh-post292447.html