gms | German Medical Science

58. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC) e. V.

26. bis 29.04.2007, Leipzig

Tactile sensors for robot guided intraoperative neurosurgery

Taktile Sensorik für die Roboter-geführte intraoperative Neurochirurgie

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author R. Stroop - Heinz-Nixdorf-Institut, Mechatronik und Dynamik, Universität Paderborn, Deutschland
  • R. Westphal - Institut für Robotik und Prozessinformatik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Deutschland
  • D. Oliva Uribe - Heinz-Nixdorf-Institut, Mechatronik und Dynamik, Universität Paderborn, Deutschland
  • T. Hemsel - Heinz-Nixdorf-Institut, Mechatronik und Dynamik, Universität Paderborn, Deutschland
  • F. Wahl - Institut für Robotik und Prozessinformatik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Deutschland

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 58. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC). Leipzig, 26.-29.04.2007. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2007. DocP 013

Die elektronische Version dieses Artikels ist vollständig und ist verfügbar unter: http://www.egms.de/de/meetings/dgnc2007/07dgnc268.shtml

Veröffentlicht: 11. April 2007

© 2007 Stroop et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

Objective: Intraoperative robotic applications are in the majority of cases manipulator based systems. These are in terms of level of automation passively acting systems providing the surgeon a precise trajectory for tissue manipulation. Indications for actively intervening robots are usually limited to hard tissue robotic applications like bone processing as in craniotomy or orthopaedic surgery or for interventions in geometrically fixed situs as stereotactic procedures.

Introduction of robotics for more complex soft tissue surgery with the necessity of real time reaction on tissue deformation and dislocation are considerably limited not only to intelligent decision making algorithms or to heavy-handed dexterity as an efferent motor problem but also by lacking an efficient sensory system.

Sensory perception has to capture the visual aspect of the surgical situs as well as further physicochemical properties of the tissue under investigation. The development of a tool for intraoperative tactile perception will be a highly challenging task to perform and improve the safety during surgery.

Methods: A resonant vibrating piezoelectric bimorph sensor was implemented for a high precision tissue elasticity determination. The bimorph sensor was attached via a force torque sensor to a 6 axis, articulated industrial robot (RX60B, Stäubli). The force torque sensor was interconnected to ensure a defined, non-harming bimorph sensor load. Differences in brain tissue elasticity was simulated using gelatine-gel resp. PVC-gel preparations with minute concentration gradients.

Results: Using the robot guided bimorph sensor system, subtle differences in tissue phantoms elasticity could clearly be differentiated. The bimorph sensor’s resolution was even increased against human ability to discriminate elasticity changes.

Conclusions: Providing tactile sensory perception systems is not yet a sufficient but a crucial precondition for soft tissue surgical robotic applications. More sophisticated sensor systems have to be established to even determine dignity of tumorous alterated tissue.