Robotic Surgical Probe with Real-Time Tissue Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotically controlled minimally invasive surgical systems for removing tumors, especially brain tumors, face challenges due to brain shift effects during procedures, which can lead to inaccurate targeting and potential damage to healthy tissue.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a robotically inserted therapeutic probe with a combination detection and therapy capability. The probe detects tumorous tissue in real-time as it moves along a pre-planned path, allowing for precise ablation of diseased tissue while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If preoperative images are used to determine treatment location, then the surgical procedure can be planned in advance, but brain shift effects during the procedure make the treatment location inaccurate and dangerous
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates real-time detection of tumorous tissue during the surgical procedure, providing feedback on the actual treatment location. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust and compensate for brain shift effects, ensuring accurate targeting despite changes in brain position during the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of tumorous tissue along the pre-planned path before executing the therapeutic procedure. This preliminary action identifies the actual location of the tumor in real-time, allowing the system to adjust the treatment delivery to match the current anatomical conditions rather than relying solely on preoperative imaging.
2Productivity
If the probe performs ablation without real-time detection, then the procedure is faster, but healthy tissue may be destroyed due to inaccurate targeting
Solution Approach 1:
The detection element provides real-time feedback on tissue type encountered by the probe, allowing the system to distinguish between tumorous and healthy tissue. This feedback enables the ablation function to be activated only when tumorous tissue is detected, preventing damage to healthy tissue while maintaining procedural efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies ablation treatment locally and selectively only to regions where tumorous tissue is detected by the sensor element. This localized approach ensures that the harmful ablation effect is applied precisely to the tumor while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, achieving both speed and safety.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the probe uses real-time detection before ablation, then healthy tissue is protected, but the procedure time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection element performs preliminary identification of tumorous tissue along the probe's path before the ablation function is activated. This preliminary detection allows for rapid, targeted ablation only in regions where tumor is confirmed, minimizing unnecessary detection time in healthy tissue regions and reducing overall procedure duration while maintaining protection of healthy tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The system efficiently allocates detection and ablation resources locally, activating detection and subsequent ablation only in specific regions where tumorous tissue is detected. This localized approach avoids unnecessary detection and treatment time in healthy tissue regions, balancing the protection of healthy tissue with procedural efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, especially for removal of tumors, and especially for brain tumors, using a robotically inserted therapeutic probe, which first detects tumorous tissue on a pre-planned path through the patient's tissue, before performing therapeutic procedures on the tissue, such as ablation. This pre-treatment detection procedure is thus able to avoid the destruction of healthy tissue. This also ensures that the therapeutic process indicated in a preoperative surgical plan is only performed on tumorous tissue, without sole reliance on preoperative image indications. This is important for neurosurgical operations performed on the brain, since preoperative images may not be accurate due to brain shift occurring during the procedure. Detection can be performed optically or ultrasonically, and treatment by laser or RF ablation. The probe insertion can be performed at 90° to the insertion axis of the device, thus minimizing passage through healthy tissue.