Requirements analysis and preliminary design of a robotic assistant for reconstructive microsurgery

Area of Science:

• Microsurgery
• Robotics in Medicine
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Microanastomosis, the suturing of small blood vessels (<1mm diameter), is crucial in reconstructive surgery but challenging due to surgeon hand tremors.
• Current techniques face limitations in precision and reliability for sub-millimeter vessels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce preliminary steps in developing robotic assistance for microanastomosis.
• To improve the quality and reliability of microanastomosis, especially for smaller diameter vessels.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a general needs assessment for robotic assistance in microanastomosis.
• Performed experimental motion analysis to define robot requirements.
• Optimized geometric parameters of the kinematic structure for specific surgical objectives.

Main Results:

• Defined key requirements for a robotic system to aid microanastomosis.
• Initiated the design and construction of a prototype robot.
• Aimed to increase surgical accuracy without extending procedure time.

Conclusions:

• Robotic assistance holds promise for enhancing microanastomosis procedures.
• Further development and prototyping are underway to validate the system's effectiveness.
• The technology aims to overcome limitations posed by hand tremors in microsurgery.