A robotic microsurgical forceps for transoral laser microsurgery.

Area of Science:

• Robotics in Medicine
• Surgical Technology
• Microsurgery

Background:

• Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) presents challenges due to the laryngeal region's anatomy and limitations of rigid forceps.
• Surgeon hand tremors, poor reachability, and limited tactile feedback hinder precision in TLM procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an integrated robotic microsurgical forceps system for tele-operated tissue manipulation in TLM.
• To address functional challenges in TLM, including surgeon hand tremors and ergonomic limitations.

Main Methods:

• A novel 2-DOF motorized microsurgical forceps end-effector was integrated with a commercial 6-DOF robotic manipulator.
• The system, named RMF-2F, was tele-operated using a haptic master interface and augmented with a force sensor.
• Validation trials, pick-n-place experiments, and simulated surgical tasks with expert surgeons were conducted.

Main Results:

• RMF-2F demonstrated a motion tracking error below 400 μm, with improved trajectory following and execution times.
• Haptic feedback significantly improved tissue gripping force regulation (1.624 N vs. 2.116 N).
• User trials and expert surgeon evaluations confirmed enhanced access, maneuverability, and gripping force feedback.

Conclusions:

• The RMF-2F provides an ergonomic and intuitive interface for intraoperative tissue manipulation in TLM.
• Robotic teleoperation benefits, including tremor reduction, improved accuracy, and tactile feedback, were validated.
• The device enhances safety and precision in TLM procedures through advanced robotic capabilities.