ROBOT SYSTEM FOR WOUND CLEANING

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a robotic system for wound cleaning.

[0002] It is known from current technology that wound irrigation with a medical water jet and wound debridement can be performed manually by a medical professional. A major challenge here is to treat as much of the wound surface as possible and to maintain a consistently high quality of treatment in order to minimize the risk of reinfection. Visual inspection by the medical professional is often difficult, as a treated area frequently does not differ significantly from an untreated one.

[0003] It is also known to automate wound cleansing using a robotic arm. This can achieve a more uniform coverage of the wound surface. However, the target surfaces often have an inhomogeneous structure, so the result is frequently unsatisfactory.

[0004] Information on the state of the art can be found in the following publication: Robot Guided Waterjet Surgery Dissertation, Thomas Bahls 2020 TU Munich

[0005] CN 110236736 A describes a robotic system for wound cleaning with a robotic arm to which a nozzle for dispensing a cleaning fluid is attached.

[0006] US 2015 / 335343 A1 also describes a wound cleaning system, disclosing various sensors that can distinguish healthy from necrotic tissue.

[0007] The object of the invention is to provide a robotic system for wound cleaning that enables an improved cleaning result.

[0008] The problem is solved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.

[0009] The robotic wound cleansing system according to the invention comprises a robotic arm to which a nozzle for dispensing a cleansing fluid is attached. This fluid can be, for example, water, which may additionally contain a therapeutic agent for improved cleansing and / or a local anesthetic. Furthermore, the cleansing fluid may contain other molecules that interact both mechanically and chemically with the surface to be cleaned.

[0010] The robot system has a control device for controlling the robot arm in such a way that specific positions on the wound surface are selectively cleaned by the nozzle.

[0011] Furthermore, the robot system has at least one sensor for recording the quality of the cleaning result.

[0012] The robotic system also includes a control system for controlling positions on the wound surface via the nozzle where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold.

[0013] The robotic system according to the invention enables a consistently high cleaning quality to be achieved across the entire wound surface. This is done in a very reliable manner, since the assessment of the cleaning quality is automated using a sensor and not performed by a medical professional.

[0014] It is preferred that the at least one sensor is a thermal imaging sensor for detecting blood flow on the wound surface. This can be achieved, for example, using a non-contact infrared sensor.

[0015] Alternatively or additionally, at least one sensor can be a hyperspectral sensor for detecting the spectral signature of unwanted deposits on the wound surface. This directly captures the spectral signature of the wound surface, allowing certain deposits, such as bacterial colonies, to be visualized within a specific spectrum.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, at least one sensor can be used to analyze the chemical composition of the removed material, which is fed to it via a suction device. This suction device can be part of the robotic system. For example, the aspirated medium can be examined for therapeutically relevant characteristics such as proteins, saccharides, and known bacterial species or their cell components. Analysis for hemoglobin in the aspirated medium can also be performed.

[0017] Alternatively or additionally, at least one sensor can be a resistance sensor to detect the electrical resistance of the wound surface. For example, if rinsing is performed with a saline solution, its specific resistance is known. Contaminants on the wound surface lead to a change in resistance, from which the quality of the cleaning result can be derived.

[0018] Alternatively or additionally, at least one sensor can be a MEMS sensor. This can be designed as a MEMS-based microreactor to which the liquid extracted via the suction device is fed. The microreactor can then analyze, for example, the chemical composition of the extracted liquid in real time to assess the quality of the cleaning result. It is also possible to analyze the extracted liquid for bacteria or their cell components, proteins, saccharides, and / or hemoglobin within the microreactor.

[0019] With all described sensor types, the cleaning result is analyzed in real time, so that the control system can specifically target positions on the wound surface where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold.

[0020] In all embodiments of the invention, it is possible to create a database that enables the identification of coatings based on their spectrum. For this purpose, a chemical analysis is performed in parallel with the spectral analysis until a sufficient database has been established.

[0021] The robotic system according to the invention preferably further comprises a geometry acquisition device for capturing the geometry of the wound surface. This can, for example, be measured three-dimensionally. The robotic system further comprises a modeling device for modeling the wound surface, wherein, during modeling, the wound surface is divided into a plurality of sub-areas. The control device is designed for the targeted cleaning of sub-areas of the wound surface where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold.

[0022] Preferably, the geometry acquisition device comprises an optical system, in particular a structured light system, a stereo vision system, a laser-based triangulation system or a kinesthetic sampling system.

[0023] The robotic system according to the invention further preferably comprises an dispensing device for adding a therapeutic agent to the rinsing fluid. This allows the concentration of the therapeutic agent to be increased at those positions on the wound surface where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold.

[0024] The prior art mentioned in the introductory description ("Robot Robot Guided Waterjet Surgery Dissertation") describes how, starting from the target surface and the dissection trajectory of the water jet used (which describes the geometry of the actuated water jet applicator), a trajectory can be calculated which enables at least geometrically a high level of coverage.

[0025] In all embodiments of the invention, it should be ensured that the water jet always hits the wound surface perpendicularly or at a constant angle.

[0026] Furthermore, the control system is preferably designed to reduce the distance of the nozzle to the wound surface and / or to increase the water pressure at positions on the wound surface where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold.

[0027] The result of the treatment can be checked and visualized in qualitative and quantitative form and represented alphanumerically.

[0028] Wound cleaning can also be performed with a liquid doped with fluorescent particles for later optical inspection of the surface.

[0029] Wound cleaning can also be performed with liquid and abrasive particles (e.g. microplastics, silicon, lime).

[0030] A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to a figure.

[0031] The figure shows a control system for controlling the robot system according to the invention. The actual quality of the cleaning result, as measured by at least one sensor, is subtracted from the target quality, so that a deviation value is supplied to the controller.

[0032] The removal rate can be individually adjusted for different positions on the wound surface, allowing for the consideration of individual factors. This adjustment can be achieved by varying the pressure and / or duration of the water jet cleaning. Prerequisites for this are a consistent nozzle geometry, continuous suction, and use in a laminar flow environment.

Claims

1. A robotic system for wound cleaning, comprising a robotic arm to which a nozzle for dispensing a cleaning liquid is attached, a control device for controlling the robotic arm in such a way that the nozzle cleans specific positions on the wound surface in a targeted manner, at least one sensor for detecting the quality of the cleaning result, a control system for controlling positions on the wound surface where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold value, wherein the cleaning result is analyzed in real time so that the control system specifically targets positions on the wound surface where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold value.

2. The robotic system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least first sensor is a thermal image sensor for detecting the blood circulation of the wound surface.

3. The robotic system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor is a hyperspectral sensor for detecting the spectral signature of undesired coatings on the wound surface.

4. The robotic system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor is a sensor for analyzing the chemical composition of the removed material, which is fed thereto via a suction device.

5. The robotic system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor is a resistance sensor for detecting the electrical resistance of the wound surface.

6. The robotic system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor is a MEMS sensor.

7. The robotic system according to claim 1, characterized in that the robotic system has a geometry detection device for detecting the geometry of the wound surface, wherein the robotic system further comprises a modeling device for modeling the wound surface, wherein the wound surface is divided into a plurality of partial surfaces during modeling and wherein the control device is configured for targeted cleaning of partial areas of the wound surface where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold value.

8. The robotic system according to claim 7, characterized in that the geometry detection device comprises an optical system, in particular a structured light system, a stereo vision system, a laser-based triangulation system or a kinesthetic sampling system.

9. The robotic system according to claim 1 to 8, characterized by an addition device for adding a therapeutic agent to the cleaning liquid, whereby the concentration of the therapeutic agent is increased at the positions on the wound surface where the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold value.

10. The robotic system according to claim 1 to 9, characterized in that the controller is configured to reduce the distance of the nozzle to the wound surface and / or to increase the water pressure at positions on the wound surface at which the quality of the cleaning result has not reached a desired threshold value.