Experimental study of the optimum puncture pattern of robot-assisted needle insertion into hyperelastic materials

Developing a piezoresistive sensor based bionic neurological intraoperative monitoring system for spine surgery skill training

This research aims to tackle the limitations faced in surgical education nowadays, particularly in the complex field of spinal cord tumor removal surgery. An innovative flexible piezoresistive sensor designed to mimic a motor nerve was developed and integrated into a bionic spine surgery simulation system, allowing for the intraoperative nerve monitoring possible during simulated tumor removal surgeries. The motor nerve, fabricated using a combination of carbon nanotubes and silicone rubber, exhibited a strong correlation between applied force and resultant changes in resistance, as confirmed by experimental results. This creative system can play an important role in providing valuable feedback for training doctors, facilitating the assessment of surgical precision and success, and enabling doctors to take necessary precautions to minimize the risk of nerve damage in real surgical scenarios. Ultimately, this proposed system has the potential to elevate the standard of surgical education, foster skill development among doctors, and significantly contribute to enhanced patient care and recovery.

Experimental study of mosquito-inspired needle to minimize insertion force and tissue deformation

The aim of this work is to propose a mosquito-inspired (bioinspired) design of a surgical needle that can decrease the insertion force and the tissue deformation, which are the main causes of target inaccuracy during percutaneous procedures. The bioinspired needle was developed by mimicking the geometrical shapes of mosquito proboscis. Needle prototypes were manufactured and tested to determine optimized needle shapes and geometries. Needle insertion tests on a tissue-mimicking polyvinylchloride (PVC) gel were then performed to emulate the mosquito-proboscis stinging dynamics by applying vibration and insertion velocity during the insertion. An insertion test setup equipped with a sensing system was constructed to measure the insertion force and to assess the deformation of the tissue. It was discovered that using the proposed bioinspired design, the needle insertion force was decreased by 60% and the tissue deformation was reduced by 48%. This finding is significant for improving needle-based medical procedures.

NEEDLE–TISSUE INTERACTION MODEL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF SUBCLAVIAN VEIN PUNCTURE

The subclavian venous puncture catheter has been widely used in treatment of critically ill patients. However, the lack of a mechanical model for subclavian vein puncture and selection of puncture parameters lead to procedure failures. This paper develops a puncture force model, and explores the factors affecting puncture force through a series of experiments. The puncture process is divided into four stages, and a mechanical model is established for each stage. The parameters of the puncture model, including the needle insertion angle and diameter, and venous pressure, are analyzed experimentally using biological tissues. The Box–Behnken experiment design is chosen to account for the cross-interactions of the various factors considered.