Endocavity Ultrasound Probe Manipulators.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Medical robots utilize remote center of motion kinematics for precise manipulation.
• Ultrasound probes require advanced robotic systems for 3-D imaging and image-guided interventions.
• Robot-assisted surgery offers enhanced precision and minimally invasive approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate two robotic manipulators for endocavity ultrasound probes.
• To enable robot-assisted 3-D ultrasound imaging and image-guided procedures.
• To assess the feasibility of a novel tandem robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (T-RALP) approach.

Main Methods:

• Development of two robotic manipulators with 3 and 4 degrees of freedom (DoF).
• Implementation of remote center of motion kinematics for both robots.
• Design and testing of control features for safety and manipulation.
• Clinical trial involving 46 patients for safety and feasibility evaluation of the T-RALP procedure.

Main Results:

• Successful development of 3-DoF and 4-DoF ultrasound probe manipulators.
• Demonstration of robot-assisted 3-D ultrasound imaging capabilities.
• Successful completion of a clinical trial for T-RALP, validating safety and feasibility in 46 patients.
• The 4-DoF robot offers unrestricted manipulation, while the 3-DoF robot is simpler and versatile.

Conclusions:

• The developed robotic manipulators are effective for ultrasound-guided procedures.
• The T-RALP approach, utilizing concurrent robotic systems, is safe and feasible for prostatectomy.
• These robotic systems represent a significant advancement in image-guided surgical interventions.