Development of an articulating ultrasonically activated device for laparoscopic surgery

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Instrumentation
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Ultrasonically activated devices (USADs) are crucial for coagulating dissection in endoscopic procedures.
• Traditional USADs possess a fixed linear shape, limiting anatomical access.
• A novel articulating USAD with a bendable tip has been developed to overcome these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the coagulating dissection performance of a new articulating USAD.
• To compare its efficacy against a traditional USAD (Harmonic Scalpel II).
• To confirm the clinical usefulness of the articulating USAD in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Coagulating shearing tests were performed on porcine splenic arteries.
• Articulating USAD performance was compared to Harmonic Scalpel II under varying vibration amplitudes and grip forces.
• In vivo laparoscopic surgery in a pig was conducted to assess clinical utility.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in division time was observed between the articulating USAD and HSII at 80-microm amplitude and 2-3 N grip force.
• Bursting pressure of blood vessels remained comparable between both devices across all tested conditions.
• The articulating USAD exhibited equivalent coagulating dissection performance to the traditional USAD in the in vivo experiment.

Conclusions:

• A novel articulating USAD has been successfully developed.
• This device expands the range of approaches for USAD application.
• The articulating USAD enhances surgical usefulness and patient safety in endoscopic operations.