Design and path tracking control of a continuum robot for maxillary sinus surgery

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Medical Devices
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Continuum robots (CRs) offer potential for minimally invasive surgery.
• Maxillary sinus surgery (MSS) presents challenges due to narrow, curved anatomy and robot deformability.
• Accurate target approach in the maxillary sinus remains a significant hurdle for CR-assisted MSS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a continuum robotic system for maxillary sinus surgery.
• To investigate and improve the path tracking control of the designed CR.
• To address the challenges of navigating complex anatomical pathways in MSS.

Main Methods:

• A continuum robotic system with integrated instruments and sensors for MSS was designed.
• A differential kinematic model of the CR was constructed.
• An iterative Jacobian transpose-based closed-loop control method was proposed to enhance path tracking performance, overcoming limitations of traditional Jacobian-based methods.

Main Results:

• The proposed control method significantly improved CR path tracking performance compared to open-loop control.
• Experiments demonstrated a reduced path tracking error.
• Maxillary sinus phantom tests confirmed CR reachability, achieving a mean error of 0.96 mm for a reference path from the nostril to the target.

Conclusions:

• The developed CR is flexible, slender, and capable of navigating tortuous sinus pathways without damaging surrounding tissues.
• The continuum robotic system and proposed control strategy show significant potential for advancing maxillary sinus surgery.
• Limitations of the current method were acknowledged and discussed for future research.