Development and validation of a two-segment continuum robot for maxillary sinus surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical Robotics
• Surgical Innovation
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• Rigid surgical instruments face limitations in backward inspection and operation within the maxillary sinus.
• The curved and narrow anatomy of the maxillary sinus necessitates complex manual maneuvers.
• Current surgical approaches for the maxillary sinus involve repetitive and challenging manual operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel retro-flexing continuum robotic system for enhanced maxillary sinus surgery (MSS).
• To enable precise path-following motion for robotic instruments in confined anatomical spaces.
• To overcome the limitations of rigid instruments in complex surgical environments.

Main Methods:

• Development of a continuum robotic system specifically designed for maxillary sinus surgery.
• Implementation of an anatomical constraint-based optimization for a follow-the-leader control strategy.
• Generation of a safe and accurate control scheme for navigating predefined surgical paths.

Main Results:

• The system's accuracy was rigorously evaluated in reaching deep-seated targets within a constrained anatomical space.
• Simulations and experiments confirmed the feasibility of the path-following motion capabilities.
• A preliminary porcine study demonstrated the practical applicability and capability of the robotic instruments.

Conclusions:

• The developed continuum robotic system effectively meets the demanding requirements of maxillary sinus surgery.
• This robotic solution offers a promising advancement for improving surgical outcomes in MSS.
• The system's design facilitates safer and potentially more efficient surgical interventions.