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Published on: October 2, 2016
Review of manual control methods for handheld maneuverable instruments
Chunman Fan1, Dimitra Dodou, Paul Breedveld
1Department BioMechanical Engineering, Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands. c.fan@tudelft.nl
Summary
This study reviews manual control methods for steerable surgical instruments used in minimal access surgery. Developing intuitive control for multi-segmented instruments is crucial for advancing surgical techniques.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Technology
- Robotics in Medicine
- Medical Instrumentation
Background:
- Surgical procedures are evolving from open to minimal access surgery with new technologies.
- Difficult-to-reach anatomical sites require advanced, maneuverable instruments for procedures like neurosurgery and percutaneous interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art in manual control methods for handheld maneuverable surgical instruments.
- To categorize existing control methods based on key parameters.
Main Methods:
- Literature research was conducted using Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed.
- Manual control methods were categorized by the number of steerable segments, Degrees of Freedom (DOF), and control-tip motion coupling.
Main Results:
- For single steerable segments, both direct and indirect control methods exist.
- For multiple steerable segments, control is shifting from parallel/serial to integrated approaches.
- Development of multi-segmented maneuverable instruments is in its early stages.
Conclusions:
- Intuitive and effective control methods for multi-segmented maneuverable instruments are needed.
- Further focus on control strategies is essential for the advancement of minimal access surgery.
