Design of an innovative robotic surgical instrument for circular stapling

Esophageal cancer remains a highly aggressive malignancy with low survival rates, requiring advanced surgical interventions like esophagectomy. Traditional manual techniques, including circular staplers, face challenges such as limited precision, prolonged recovery times, and complications like leaks and tissue misalignment. This paper presents a novel robotic circular stapler designed to enhance the dexterity in confined spaces, improve tissue alignment, and reduce post-operative risks. Integrated with a cognitive robot that serves as a surgeon's assistant, the surgical stapler uses three actuators to perform anvil motion, cutter/stapler motion and allows a 75-degree bending of the cartridge (distal tip). Kinematic analysis is used to compute the stapler tip's position, ensuring synchronization with a robotic system.

Accuracy and repeatability of a parallel robot for personalised minimally invasive surgery

The paper presents the methodology used for accuracy and repeatability measurements of the experimental model of a parallel robot developed for surgical applications. The experimental setup uses a motion tracking system (for accuracy) and a high precision measuring arm for position (for repeatability). The accuracy was obtained by comparing the trajectory data from the experimental measurement with a baseline trajectory defined with the kinematic models of the parallel robotic system. The repeatability was experi-mentally determined by moving (repeatedly) the robot platform in predefined points.