Pneumatically Attachable Flexible (PAF) Rails for track-guided imaging and organ manipulation

气动连接柔性 (PAF) 导轨，用于轨道引导成像和器官操作

• 批准号: 2409034
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2409034
• 关键词: Pneumatically; Attachable; Flexible; PAF; Rails

Brief description of the context of the research including potential impact Robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) is a surgical operation in which part of a kidney is removed, typically due to the presence of a mass. Pre-operative and intra-operative imaging techniques are used to identify and outline the target mass, and thus the margins of the resection area on the kidney surface. Drop-in ultrasound probes are used to acquire intra-operative images: the probe is inserted through a trocar port, grasped with a robotic-assisted laparoscopic gripper and swiped on the kidney surface. Multiple swipes are performed to define the resection area. This is marked swipe by swipe using an electrocautery tool. During this procedure the probe often requires repositioning because of slippage from the target organ surface. Furthermore, the localization can be inaccurate when the target mass is in particularly hard to reach locations, and thus kidney repositioning could be required. A highly skilled surgeon is typically required to successfully perform this pre-operatory procedure. In the Wellcome/EPSRC centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS) the UCL Surgical Robot Vision (SRV) research group led by Professor Danail Stoyanov has developed a novel soft robotic solution for the navigation of drop-in ultrasound probes in RAPN: the use of pneumatically attachable flexible rails (PAF rails) to enable swift, effortless, and accurate track-guided scanning of the kidney. The proposed system attaches on the kidney side surface with the use of a series of bio-inspired vacuum suckers. The same system can be customised to be used in similar procedures e.g. partial hepatectomy. The system has also shown significant potential as a safe and versatile soft robotic organ retractor. Aims and Objectives The specific objectives are to: - Design, prototype and test soft robotic systems and sensors, including but not limited to the PAF rails system and derivative systems of it, paving the way for their translation into clinics. - Investigate soft sensing solution to support multi-imaging modalities. - Investigate the integration of the proposed system in clinical practice, liaising with clinicians and engineers as well as with industrial partners to conduct testing on phantoms as well as ex vivo and in vivo testing. Novelty of Research Methodology The PAF rail system is a novel hardware/software system designed and developed in the SRV research group at UCL WEISS. Given the novelty and the clinical potential of the proposed system, a PCT patent application (PCT/GB2019/051463) has been filed with the support of UCL-Business. The candidate will investigate novel imaging and organ manipulation strategies to optimise the system from the point of view of the hardware and the software. Alignment to EPSRC's strategies and research areas The proposed project well aligns with the EPSRC grand challenge of the Frontiers of Physical Intervention by proposing a novel approach to intra-operative organ imaging and manipulation in minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery. The proposed system will improve the accuracy and the safety of a wide range of laparoscopic procedures providing a safer organ-tool interface, hence, reducing the risks on the patient side, while also significantly deskilling complex procedures. The investigated system has also the potential to open the way to the automation of surgical tasks like organ repositioning and scanning. In terms of cross-cutting research capabilities this project remits in the research area of Medical Device Design and Innovation in the context of robotics for surgical applications, while also investigating advanced biocompatible silicone materials for active organ manipulation, imaging.Any companies or collaborators involved Royal Free Hospital, London, UK Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, US

机器人辅助肾部分切除术（RAPN）是一种外科手术，通常由于存在肿块而切除部分肾脏。术前和术中成像技术用于识别和勾画目标肿块，从而确定肾脏表面切除区域的边缘。插入式超声探头用于采集术中图像：探头通过套管针端口插入，用机器人辅助腹腔镜夹持器抓住并在肾脏表面上滑动。执行多次滑动以定义切除区域。这是使用电烙器工具逐刷标记的。在该过程中，由于从目标器官表面滑动，探针通常需要重新定位。此外，当目标肿块处于特别难以到达的位置时，定位可能是不准确的，并且因此可能需要肾脏重新定位。通常需要高度熟练的外科医生来成功地执行该术前程序。在Wellcome/EPSRC介入和外科科学中心（韦斯），由Danail Stoyanov教授领导的UCL外科机器人视觉（SRV）研究小组开发了一种用于RAPN中插入式超声探头导航的新型软机器人解决方案：使用可拆卸的柔性导轨（PAF导轨）实现快速，轻松和准确的肾脏跟踪引导扫描。所提出的系统使用一系列生物吸气真空吸盘附着在肾脏侧表面上。相同的系统可以定制用于类似的手术，例如部分肝切除术。该系统还显示出作为安全和多功能软机器人器官牵开器的巨大潜力。目的和目标具体目标是：-设计，原型和测试软机器人系统和传感器，包括但不限于PAF轨道系统及其衍生系统，为将其转化为诊所铺平道路。- 研究软感知解决方案，以支持多种成像模式。- 调查拟议系统在临床实践中的集成，与临床医生和工程师以及工业合作伙伴联系，对体模进行测试以及体外和体内测试。研究方法的新奇PAF轨道系统是一种新颖的硬件/软件系统，由UCL韦斯的SRV研究小组设计和开发。鉴于所提出的系统的新奇和临床潜力，在UCL-Business的支持下提交了PCT专利申请（PCT/GB 2019/051463）。候选人将研究新的成像和器官操作策略，以从硬件和软件的角度优化系统。与EPSRC的战略和研究领域保持一致拟议的项目通过提出一种新的方法来实现微创机器人辅助手术中的术中器官成像和操作，从而与EPSRC的物理干预前沿的巨大挑战保持一致。所提出的系统将提高广泛的腹腔镜手术的准确性和安全性，提供更安全的器官-工具界面，从而降低患者方面的风险，同时还显著降低复杂手术的技能。研究的系统也有可能为器官重新定位和扫描等手术任务的自动化开辟道路。在交叉研究能力方面，该项目在机器人手术应用背景下的医疗器械设计和创新的研究领域，同时也研究用于主动器官操作，成像的先进生物相容性硅胶材料。任何参与的公司或合作者皇家自由医院，伦敦，英国Intuitive Surgical，桑尼维尔，加利福尼亚州，美国