Level I/II autonomy in robotically navigated lithotripsy: comprehensive system evaluation and performance assessment.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Robotics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Laser lithotripsy uses ureteroscopes for stone ablation but risks trauma from stone movement.
• Manual targeting of stones during laser lithotripsy can be challenging due to retro-pulsive movement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a Level I/II autonomous robotic system for laser lithotripsy.
• To minimize clinical complications associated with stone targeting during the procedure.

Main Methods:

• A robotic catheter and a U-Net segmentation method were integrated into an autonomous system.
• The system was designed to automatically target stones and guide ureteroscope navigation.

Main Results:

• The autonomous system achieved a 99.97% target accuracy in phantom studies.
• Validation was performed using a custom-manufactured phantom for autonomous stone ablation feasibility.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully implemented and evaluated an autonomous stone targeting method within a robotic system.
• Results indicate the feasibility of autonomy in robot-assisted laser lithotripsy, enhancing procedural safety.