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Closed-loop Control of Steerable Balloon Endoscopes for Robot-assisted Transcatheter Intracardiac Procedures
Max McCandless1, Jonathan Hamid1, Sammy Elmariah2
1Max McCandless, Jonathan Hamid, and Pierre E. Dupont are with the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
|March 19, 2026
Summary
A novel steerable balloon cardioscope offers direct visualization inside the heart, improving tool navigation for safer transcatheter procedures. This innovation enhances precision for intracardiac interventions.
Area of Science:
- Medical Devices
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Minimally invasive cardiac procedures require advanced imaging and robotic tools for accurate navigation.
- Current imaging modalities like fluoroscopy and ultrasound have limitations for intracardiac visualization.
- Cardioscopy, or direct optical visualization within the heart, presents a promising alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present a novel steerable balloon cardioscope for improved intracardiac visualization and tool delivery.
- To demonstrate independent control over balloon diameter and bending angle for precise positioning.
- To showcase the cardioscope's potential for specific intracardiac tasks, such as aortic leaflet laceration.
Main Methods:
- A steerable balloon catheter design was developed, capable of collapsing for vascular insertion and inflating within the heart.
- Balloon wall thickness was engineered to allow independent control of diameter (field of view) and bending angle via inflation pressure.
- The system incorporated image-based closed-loop control for stable orientation during instrument manipulation.
Main Results:
- The steerable balloon cardioscope successfully achieved independent control of diameter and bending angle using a single inflation pressure input.
- The device demonstrated tunability for various intracardiac applications, exemplified by a design for aortic leaflet laceration.
- Closed-loop control enabled stable orientation, facilitating precise tool insertion and removal.
Conclusions:
- The steerable balloon cardioscope represents a significant advancement in intracardiac visualization and tool navigation.
- This technology offers a safer alternative to open-heart surgery by enhancing precision in transcatheter procedures.
- The tunable balloon design and closed-loop control provide a versatile platform for future intracardiac interventions.
