Initial Investigations toward a Flexible Variable Stiffness Single Port System for Partial Nephrectomy
Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Computer- und Roboterassistierte Chirurgie e.V., pp. 93–98, 2016
Abstract
Single port laparoscopic surgeries are the next step towards minimal invasiveness after conventional laparoscopywith several incisions. However, current conventional and single port instruments as well as robotic systemsoffer only a straight instrument deployment possibility, which results in limited visualization and triangulation.In the particular case of partial nephrectomy the kidney needs to be separated from connected tissues in orderto be rotated and thereby improve the visualization and accessibility of the tumor. This preparation proceduredemands valuable time of the surgery and in fact increases the invasiveness. In order to prevent these disad-vantages we propose a novel, flexible single port manipulator with variable stiffness and instrument deploymentchannels. We present our vision and conduct first contour accuracy investigations on one segment manipulatorswith granular jamming.