Motorized Micro-Forceps with Active Motion Guidance based on Common-Path SSOCT for Epiretinal Membranectomy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Engineering
• Surgical Robotics

Background:

• Epiretinal membranectomy requires high precision to avoid damage.
• Standard micro-forceps are prone to motion artifacts, complicating delicate procedures.
• Accurate depth control is crucial for successful epiretinal membrane removal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a handheld motion-guided micro-forceps system for accurate depth-controlled epiretinal membranectomy.
• To minimize motion artifacts during surgical grasping using integrated sensors and actuators.
• To enhance surgical precision and reduce tissue damage in delicate ophthalmic procedures.

Main Methods:

• A handheld micro-forceps system was designed with a touch sensor and two motors for actuation and depth control.
• Common-path swept source optical coherence tomography (CP-SSOCT) was integrated for real-time depth monitoring.
• A smart motion monitoring and guiding algorithm was developed for intuitive freehand control.
• Performance was evaluated by comparing motion artifacts, grasping attempts, and tissue damage against standard micro-forceps on a simulated surgical substrate.

Main Results:

• The developed micro-forceps system significantly reduced motion artifacts during grasping (119.81 μm vs. 330.73 μm for standard forceps).
• CP-SSOCT depth locking further minimized erroneous tool-tip motion to 5.11 μm.
• Surgical metrics showed significant improvements: 25% reduction in elapsed time, 31% fewer grasping attempts, and 75% less maximum depth of damage.

Conclusions:

• The novel motion-guided micro-forceps system with CP-SSOCT offers superior precision and control for epiretinal membranectomy.
• The device effectively minimizes motion artifacts and reduces the risk of collateral tissue damage.
• This technology has the potential to improve surgical outcomes and patient safety in ophthalmic microsurgery.