Page 208 - Flexible Robotics in Medicine

CHAPTER 8

Compliant bending tubular mechanisms

with variable groove patterns for flexible

robotic drilling delivery

Zhi Peng Tan, Xiao Xiao and Hongliang Ren
Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore

This chapter introduces robotic compliant bending tubular mechanisms that could improve
bendable drilling to replace the conventional straight drilling method. A robot-assisted
flexible drilling system, where an operator can navigate and control, is playing an
increasingly important role in minimally invasive surgeries. In this chapter, we develop
prototypes for controllable and bendable drilling at the tip to allow outward incision of the
trachea to take place. The flexible drills are to enter the trachea and stiffen adequately to
carry out and stabilize the drilling process. Feasibility and design analysis are investigated
during system development. The prototypes can achieve bending through actuation, and we
envision that such a design will reduce the risk of tracheostomy surgery.

8.1 Introduction

8.1.1 Background

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) offers exceptional advantages as compared to
conventional open procedures. MIS involves inserting various instruments through
keyhole openings in the patient. These opening could be through the natural orifice or
through surgically created openings.

One branch of MIS, natural orifice endoscopic surgery, is different from laparoscopic MIS,
as the endoscopic surgical tools are guided through a natural orifice (mouth, urethra, anus,
etc.) to areas where surgeries are performed. By doing so, external incisions for the surgery
to take place would not be necessary.

Tracheotomy [1] or a tracheostomy, a type of MIS, is a surgically created opening through
the neck into the trachea. One main difficulty of this procedure comes about because all

Flexible Robotics in Medicine.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817595-8.00008-0 195
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