We are working on promising concepts to let the technique become easier to use. These concepts require less or no suturing at all and do not undermine the basic principles of the technique. Since ELANA is already in its clinical application phase, these concepts could be soon applicable in clinical neurosurgery, vascular surgery and minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery.

Currently, we investigate the use of artificial vessels in combination with the ELANA technique. Artificial vessels could replace veins or arterial grafts that are harvested from the patient’s leg or arm for bypass surgery. This harvesting adds to the complexity of an procedure and the wound damage a patient suffers. In addition patients that are in need of a bypass are likely to have veins that are in bad shape and make bypass surgery more complicated or even impossible.

Our “ease of use” Elana concept could be used in keyhole surgery, possibly with the aid of the da Vinci robot.