Miniature fiber-optic force sensor based on low-coherence Fabry-Pérot interferometry for vitreoretinal microsurgery

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Surgical Instrumentation

Background:

• Vitreoretinal surgery requires precise manipulation of delicate retinal tissue.
• Current surgical tools lack tactile feedback, operating below the surgeon's sensory threshold.
• Improved force sensing can enhance surgical precision and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a miniature force sensor (FS) for integration into vitreoretinal surgical tools.
• To provide surgeons with crucial tactile feedback during delicate procedures.
• To enable simultaneous measurement of axial and lateral forces at the tool tip.

Main Methods:

• A miniature force sensor (FS) with an outer diameter < 1 mm was designed and fabricated.
• The FS utilizes low-coherence Fabry-Pérot (FP) interferometry for force detection.
• A fiber-optic common-path phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (OCT) system interrogates the FP cavity length.

Main Results:

• The force sensor was successfully integrated into a surgical tool for vitreoretinal applications.
• Calibration experiments confirmed the sensor's response to applied forces.
• The FS demonstrated the capability to simultaneously measure both axial and lateral force components.

Conclusions:

• The developed miniature force sensor provides essential tactile feedback for vitreoretinal surgery.
• This technology has the potential to significantly improve surgical precision and safety.
• Further integration and clinical validation are warranted for widespread adoption.