Cutting force measurements platform for quantitative assessment of surgical cutting instruments

This paper describes the design and development of a Cutting Force Measurement Platform (CFMP) in the R&D department at Valleylab, Inc. for quantitative assessment of surgical instruments used for cutting tissue. This system controls various parameters including cutting speed, while measuring the force required as a function of time. The cutting force measurements are acquired and analyzed by a data acquisition program. The relevance of the cutting force measurements with regards to electrosurgery are discussed.