ucl || dr helge wurdemann || soft robotics for surgery

UCL Mechanical EngineeringUCL RoboticsUCL Mechanical EngineeringUCL Robotics

Future Health: Soft Robotics for Surgery

Dr Helge WurdemannLecturer in Medical Devices

Image source: www.dezeen.com - The Miro Surge system

Image source: Laparoscopic liver surgery at UPMC

• It can be problematic to change surgical targets inside the abdomen, and when needed to work in different anatomical districts, it can become necessary to move the entire robotic trolley.

• Difficulties with the positioning of current camera systems often lead to a suboptimal visualization of the field surgical manoeuvres may be influenced. ‐

• Usually additional support is required by a laparoscopic assistant at the patient’s side.

• The current da Vinci robotic system does not provide the surgeon with haptic feedback of the handled tissues. This, added to the strong mechanical power of the robotic arms, can lead to tissue tears.

Dexterity constraints of rigid-link robots

What about soft systems?

Or even soft-stiff systems?

Image source: D

KFindout.com

Professor Kaspar AlthoeferQueen Mary University

Dr Helge WurdemannUniversity College London

STIFFness controllable Flexible and Learnable manipulator for surgical OPerations

The STIFF-FLOP consortium

Scientific Experts from Biology

Scientific Experts from Medicine

Scientific Experts from Engineering

Total Mesorectal Excision (TME)

based on presentation by Prof Alberto Arezzo, University of Turin

A number of access points fairly wide-spread across the abdomen are needed. Employing da Vinci requires frequent repositioning of overall system as well as human assistance near the patient.

based on presentation by Prof Alberto Arezzo, University of Turin

Total Mesorectal Excision (TME)

• Mobilization of Splenic Flexure• Mobilization of Sigmoid Colon / Toldt Fascia• Incision of Pelvic Peritoneum• Ligation of Inferior Mesentric Artery (IMA)• Mobilization of Left Colon / Gerota Fascia• Ligation of Mesentric Vein• Posterior TME• Lateral TME• Posterior TME (2)• Anterior TME (Male/Female)• Section of Rectum• Anastomosis

Procedure Elements (TME):

Posterior TME

• Actuation/sensor interference(drastically changes the reading!).

• Chamber cross-section area changes (nonlinear actuation).

• Chamber geometrical centers shifted inwards

• Resulting bending moment smaller.

Challenges:

Flexible and High Dexterous 2-module Soft Robot

Future Challenges

Floppy to Stiff – Stiff to Floppy?

Motion Control

Sensing in a Soft Structure

Integration

Miniaturisation/Fabrication

Thanks.

Dr Helge Wurdemann@h_wurdemann

softhaptics.websiteh.wurdemann@ucl.ac.uk

Thank you.