Post by Willow on Apr 23, 2015 13:19:26 GMT 9.5
Australian researchers are exploring the use of robot assistants to help undertake knee arthroscopies and other minimally invasive surgeries.
The use of robots was expected to slash patient waiting lists, simplify training for new surgeons and prolong their labour-intensive careers.
Queensland University of Technology and the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision are tackling key medical issues with affordable, simple robotic devices.
The project team is made up of orthopedic surgeon Ross Crawford, roboticist Jonathan Roberts and biologist Anjali Jaiprakash.
They have started with the development of a robotic knee arthroscopy system but expect to spin off other assistive tools in the process. “The aim of the project is to give the surgeons a robot assistant so that they can do the procedures more accurately, more easily and reduce the chance of any unwanted damage,’’ Professor Roberts said.
Arthroscopic surgery can be physically and mentally taxing on a surgeon with a significant learning curve. Surgeons must carefully manoeuvre instruments into the small, confined spaces within the knee joint.
“Robotically assisted arthroscopic surgery will, ultimately, be quicker and more precise than what can be achieved in the average surgeon’s hand,’’ said Professor Crawford, who is also the chair in orthopedic research at QUT.
The team now has the ability to manipulate the leg and the arthroscope robotically. Controlling the arthroscopic tools and tying them to pre-operative imaging remains an ongoing project.
There are about four million knee arthroscopies performed every year worldwide and about 100,000 in Australia. The QUT/ACRV robot will use the latest robotic vision technology to perform the tiny, precision movements under a surgeon’s supervision. One surgeon could oversee several robotic arthroscopies at once. The finished arthroscopy robot was likely to bolt into the ceiling of an operating theatre.
“It would be a perfect combination of the surgeon’s clinical judgment and the more dexterous and highly precise control abilities of the robot,’’ Dr Jaiprakash said.
The technology was expected to allow surgeons better access to smaller and more difficult to access joints, such as the wrist or hip, expanding the role of arthroscopic surgery.
“In any operation where arthroscopic surgery can replace open surgery, we would expect to see a decrease in complications and a more rapid recovery,’’ Professor Crawford said.
The team expected to demonstrate a robotic arthroscopy system on a cadaver in three years and on a patient in five years.
A fully autonomous system would still probably be 10 years away, Professor Crawford said. “As long as the surgeon remains in control then I believe that there will be strong acceptance from surgeons and patients,’’ he said.
The use of robots was expected to slash patient waiting lists, simplify training for new surgeons and prolong their labour-intensive careers.
Queensland University of Technology and the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision are tackling key medical issues with affordable, simple robotic devices.
The project team is made up of orthopedic surgeon Ross Crawford, roboticist Jonathan Roberts and biologist Anjali Jaiprakash.
They have started with the development of a robotic knee arthroscopy system but expect to spin off other assistive tools in the process. “The aim of the project is to give the surgeons a robot assistant so that they can do the procedures more accurately, more easily and reduce the chance of any unwanted damage,’’ Professor Roberts said.
Arthroscopic surgery can be physically and mentally taxing on a surgeon with a significant learning curve. Surgeons must carefully manoeuvre instruments into the small, confined spaces within the knee joint.
“Robotically assisted arthroscopic surgery will, ultimately, be quicker and more precise than what can be achieved in the average surgeon’s hand,’’ said Professor Crawford, who is also the chair in orthopedic research at QUT.
The team now has the ability to manipulate the leg and the arthroscope robotically. Controlling the arthroscopic tools and tying them to pre-operative imaging remains an ongoing project.
There are about four million knee arthroscopies performed every year worldwide and about 100,000 in Australia. The QUT/ACRV robot will use the latest robotic vision technology to perform the tiny, precision movements under a surgeon’s supervision. One surgeon could oversee several robotic arthroscopies at once. The finished arthroscopy robot was likely to bolt into the ceiling of an operating theatre.
“It would be a perfect combination of the surgeon’s clinical judgment and the more dexterous and highly precise control abilities of the robot,’’ Dr Jaiprakash said.
The technology was expected to allow surgeons better access to smaller and more difficult to access joints, such as the wrist or hip, expanding the role of arthroscopic surgery.
“In any operation where arthroscopic surgery can replace open surgery, we would expect to see a decrease in complications and a more rapid recovery,’’ Professor Crawford said.
The team expected to demonstrate a robotic arthroscopy system on a cadaver in three years and on a patient in five years.
A fully autonomous system would still probably be 10 years away, Professor Crawford said. “As long as the surgeon remains in control then I believe that there will be strong acceptance from surgeons and patients,’’ he said.