Development of an active catheter using a conductive polymer actuator

导管是一种插入体腔、导管或血管的管子，是微创手术的主要器械之一。然而，操作传统的导管需要特殊的技能。因此，主动导尿管的弯曲运动可通过与导尿管集成的致动器进行电气控制，在医疗领域具有很高的应用价值。我们已经开发了一种使用空气中驱动的导电聚合物致动器的有源导管。以聚吡咯(PPy)为致动器。该导管由硅胶管(外径1.0 mm)、4个金膜电极、4个聚吡咯薄膜电极和覆盖聚吡咯薄膜的电解液凝胶层组成。当电压施加在导管的相对PPys之间时，弯曲运动的最小曲率半径为23。在空气中进行5 mm扫描。

Catheter is a tube that is inserted into a body cavity, duct or vessel and one of the major instruments for the minimal invasive surgery. However, special skills are necessary to operate conventional catheters. So, active catheters, whose bending motion are controllable electrically by actuators integrated with the catheter tube, are highly desired in the medical field. We have developed an active catheter using a conductive polymer actuator driven in air. Polypyrrole(PPy) was used as the actuator. The fabricated active catheter consists of a silicone tube(outer diameter : 1. 0mm), four thin film electrodes of gold formed around the tube, four PPy films deposited on each gold electrode, and an electrolyte gel layer covering the PPy films. When the voltage was applied between the opposing PPys of the catheter, the bending motion with the minimum radius of curvature of 23. 5mm was performed in air.