AUTHOR=Dimitrakakis Emmanouil , Dwyer George , Newall Nicola , Khan Danyal Z. , Marcus Hani J. , Stoyanov Danail TITLE=Handheld robotic device for endoscopic neurosurgery: system integration and pre-clinical evaluation JOURNAL=Frontiers in Robotics and AI VOLUME=11 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/robotics-and-ai/articles/10.3389/frobt.2024.1400017 DOI=10.3389/frobt.2024.1400017 ISSN=2296-9144 ABSTRACT=

The Expanded Endoscopic Endonasal Approach, one of the best examples of endoscopic neurosurgery, allows access to the skull base through the natural orifice of the nostril. Current standard instruments lack articulation limiting operative access and surgeon dexterity, and thus, could benefit from robotic articulation. In this study, a handheld robotic system with a series of detachable end-effectors for this approach is presented. This system is comprised of interchangeable articulated 2/3 degrees-of-freedom 3 mm instruments that expand the operative workspace and enhance the surgeon’s dexterity, an ergonomically designed handheld controller with a rotating joystick-body that can be placed at the position most comfortable for the user, and the accompanying control box. The robotic instruments were experimentally evaluated for their workspace, structural integrity, and force-delivery capabilities. The entire system was then tested in a pre-clinical context during a phantom feasibility test, followed up by a cadaveric pilot study by a cohort of surgeons of varied clinical experience. Results from this series of experiments suggested enhanced dexterity and adequate robustness that could be associated with feasibility in a clinical context, as well as improvement over current neurosurgical instruments.