Clinical Feasibility of a Dual-Arm Robotic System for ENT Procedures: A Pilot Workload Assessment

Area of Science:

• Robotics in Medicine
• Surgical Technology
• Otorhinolaryngology

Background:

• Teleoperated robotic systems offer potential for solo-physician procedures.
• Evaluating operator workload and usability is crucial for adopting new surgical technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess operator workload and usability of a dual-arm robotic platform for outpatient otorhinolaryngology (ENT) procedures performed by a single physician.
• To identify system constraints and areas for improvement in robotic-assisted ENT surgery.

Main Methods:

• A dual-arm robotic system (EndoBot and ToolBot) with dual joysticks and multi-view interface was utilized.
• Five otolaryngologists performed simulated nasal and oral procedures on an anatomical phantom.
• Standardized workload (NASA-Task Load Index [TLX]) and usability questionnaires were administered.

Main Results:

• All simulated procedures were successfully completed.
• Operator workload was significantly higher for nasal tasks (NASA-TLX: 44.0) compared to oral tasks (NASA-TLX: 22.2).
• Limitations included restricted motion speed, limited depth perception, and specific timing metric definitions.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary findings characterize operator workload and interface constraints for this dual-arm robotic system in simulated outpatient ENT procedures.
• Results provide insights for refining the robotic system's design and interface.
• Further patient-based studies are needed to evaluate clinical applicability and workflow performance.