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Related Experiment Video

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Flow driven robotic navigation of microengineered endovascular probes.

Lucio Pancaldi1, Pietro Dirix1, Adele Fanelli2

  • 1Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Nature Communications
|December 23, 2020
PubMed
Summary

New microscopic probes navigate complex vascular networks using fluid dynamics and magnetic steering. This breakthrough enhances minimally invasive procedures, reaching previously inaccessible areas within the body.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Microrobotics
  • Vascular Interventions

Background:

  • Minimally invasive procedures like endovascular catheterization have improved patient outcomes but face limitations in accessing certain body regions, particularly the brain vasculature.
  • Current guidance technologies are insufficient for navigating complex and tortuous vascular networks, hindering treatment in deep-seated areas.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate the feasibility of using tethered, ultra-flexible endovascular microscopic probes for navigation within intricate vascular networks.
  • To develop a novel microrobotic toolkit capable of accessing regions beyond the reach of conventional catheters.
  • To investigate methods for dynamic steering and control of these microscopic probes within the vasculature.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental validation and numerical simulations were employed to assess probe navigation.
  • Hydrokinetic energy was harnessed for propulsion through vascular networks.
  • Magnetic actuation was utilized for dynamic steering of the probe head at vascular bifurcations.
  • Development of a microrobotic toolkit with a significantly smaller cross-sectional area than existing catheters.

Main Results:

  • The study successfully demonstrated the transport of tethered microscopic probes through tortuous vascular networks with minimal external intervention.
  • Dynamic steering capabilities at bifurcations were achieved through magnetic actuation and probe head deformation.
  • The developed microrobotic toolkit possesses a cross-sectional area orders of magnitude smaller than current state-of-the-art catheters.
  • Simulations and experiments confirmed the potential for enhanced reachability and reduced iatrogenic damage.

Conclusions:

  • Tethered ultra-flexible endovascular microscopic probes offer a promising solution for navigating complex vascular networks.
  • This technology enhances the reachability of minimally invasive interventions, reduces risks, and increases intervention speed.
  • The microrobotic toolkit enables new possibilities for precise interventions and simultaneous deployment of multiple leads in challenging anatomical locations.