Surgical Instrument Insertion Control via Damping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical procedures face challenges in managing uniform insertion force for surgical instruments through cannulas with varying geometries and materials, leading to potential damage and user dissatisfaction due to abrupt changes in velocity and force requirements.
Innovation Solution
A teleoperational surgical system with a control system that identifies the cannula and instrument types, determines an insertion profile, and applies damping profiles to modulate the insertion force, ensuring a consistent velocity and reducing the likelihood of cannula damage and instrument buckling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual instrument insertion through cannulas with varying geometries and materials is performed without force modulation, then the surgical procedure can be completed, but the insertion force becomes non-uniform causing abrupt velocity changes, cannula damage, instrument buckling, and user dissatisfaction
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically modulates the insertion force in real-time based on the instrument's position within the cannula and the specific cannula geometry. The system transitions from static manual force application to dynamic force control, adjusting the resistive force profile to match the varying friction and geometric constraints along the cannula path, thereby preventing both excessive force (damage) and non-uniform force (buckling).
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of insertion force by applying a modulated resistive force profile through the manipulator control system. The control system varies the force magnitude along the insertion path, creating a non-uniform force distribution that compensates for the non-uniform friction and geometric constraints of the cannula, thereby achieving uniform instrument velocity and preventing damage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different instruments with different diameters are inserted through a cannula seal, then various surgical tasks can be performed, but the insertion force requirements vary making it difficult to manage the insertion process
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed with universal applicability to accommodate instruments of varying diameters and properties. The system identifies the specific instrument and cannula combination and applies an appropriate resistive force profile from a library of pre-calculated profiles, enabling the same control system to optimally manage insertion for any instrument-cannula pairing without requiring manual adjustment or specialized procedures for each case.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the actual insertion process and compare it against the predicted profile based on instrument and cannula characteristics. This feedback loop allows the control system to adjust the applied resistive force in real-time to maintain the desired uniform velocity profile, ensuring consistent insertion force management across different instrument types and diameters.
3Ease of operation
If the surgical manipulator enters control mode to facilitate manual instrument introduction, then smooth and safe insertion is intended, but the system complexity increases with multiple control modes
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary identification of the cannula and instrument types before the insertion process begins. Based on this pre-identification, the system automatically selects and configures the appropriate resistive force profile in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for manual control mode switching during insertion, as the system is already optimized for the specific instrument-cannula combination before the surgeon begins the insertion process.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically manages the complexity of multiple control modes by implementing self-service mechanisms. The system autonomously identifies the surgical scenario, selects the appropriate control parameters and resistive force profile, and configures itself without requiring the surgeon to manually switch between different control modes. This self-configuration reduces the effective complexity experienced by the user while maintaining the benefits of multiple optimized control strategies.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a uniform feel during instrument insertion, reducing the risk of cannula damage and user dissatisfaction by maintaining consistent velocity and force, thus enhancing the precision and safety of minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The control system is configured to control an insertion force in accordance with the insertion profile and affect motion of the medical instrument during manual insertion of the medical instrument through the cannula component
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for instrument insertion control include a manipulator system. The manipulator system includes a manipulator configured to support an instrument and a control system coupled to the manipulator. The control system is configured to determine an insertion profile associated with at least one of the instrument or a cannula through which the instrument is configured to be inserted and resist or assist a manual insertion of the instrument through the cannula according to the insertion profile, wherein the resisting or assisting causes a velocity of the manual insertion to be uniform in response to a uniform force applied by the manual insertion.