A new robotic-assisted flexible endoscope with single-hand control: endoscopic submucosal dissection in the ex vivo porcine stomach

Design and evaluation of new user control devices for improved ergonomics in flexible robotic endoscopy

Background

The ergonomics of flexible endoscopes require improvement as the current design carries a high risk of musculoskeletal injury for endoscopists. Robotic systems offer a solution by separating the endoscope from the control handle, allowing a focus on ergonomics and usability. Despite the increasing interest in this field, little attention has been paid towards developing ergonomic human input devices. This study addresses two key questions: How can handheld control devices for flexible robotic endoscopy be designed to prioritize ergonomics and usability? And, how effective are these new devices in a simulated clinical environment?

Methods

Addressing this gap, the study proposes two handheld input device models for controlling a flexible endoscope in four degrees of freedom (DOFs) and an endoscopic instrument in three DOFs. A two-stage evaluation was conducted with six endoscopists evaluating the physical ergonomics and a final clinical user evaluation with seven endoscopists using a virtual colonoscopy simulator with proportional velocity and position mapping.

Results and discussion

Both models demonstrated clinical suitability, with the first model scoring 4.8 and the second model scoring 5.2 out of 6 in the final evaluation. In sum, the study presents two designs of ergonomic control devices for robotic colonoscopy, which have the potential to reduce endoscopy-related injuries. Furthermore, the proposed colonoscopy simulator is useful to evaluate the benefits of different mapping modes. This could help to optimize the design and control mechanism of future control devices.

A Framework for the Evaluation of Human Machine Interfaces of Robot-Assisted Colonoscopy

The Human Machine Interface (HMI) of intraluminal robots has a crucial impact on the clinician's performance. It increases or decreases the difficulty of the tasks, and is connected to the users' physical and mental stress.

OBJECTIVE

This article presents a framework to compare and evaluate different HMIs for robotic colonoscopy, with the objective of identifying the optimal HMI that minimises the clinician's effort and maximises the clinical outcomes.

METHODS

The framework comprises a 1) a virtual simulator (clinically validated), 2) wearable sensors measuring the cognitive load, 3) a data collection unit of metrics correlated to the clinical performance, and 4) questionnaires exploring the users' impressions and perceived stress. The framework was tested with 42 clinicians investigating the optimal device for tele-operated control of robotic colonoscopes. Two control devices were selected and compared: a haptic serial-kinematic device and a standard videogame joypad.

RESULTS

The haptic device was preferred by the endoscopists, but the joypad enabled better clinical performance and reduced cognitive and physical load.

CONCLUSION

The framework can be used to evaluate different aspects of a HMI, both hardware and software, and determine the optimal HMI that can reduce the burden on clinicians while improving the clinical outcome.

SIGNIFICANCE

The findings of this study, and of future studies performed with this framework, can inform the design and development of HMIs for intraluminal robots, leading to improved clinical performance, reduced physical and mental stress for clinicians, and ultimately better patient outcomes.

A generic scope actuation system for flexible endoscopes

BACKGROUND

A scope actuation system assists a surgeon in steering a scope for navigating an operative field during an interventional or diagnostic procedure. Each system is tailored for a specific surgical procedure. The development of a generic scope actuation system could assist various laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures. This has the potential to reduce the deployment and maintenance costs for a hospital, making it more accessible for clinical usage.

METHODS

A modular actuation system (for maneuvering rigid laparoscopes) was adapted to enable incorporation of flexible endoscopes. The design simplifies the installation and disassembly processes. User studies were conducted to assess the ability of the system to focus onto a diagnostic area, and to navigate during a simulated esophagogastroduodenoscopy procedure. During the studies, the endoscope was maneuvered with (robotic mode) and without (manual mode) the actuation system to navigate the endoscope's focus on a predefined track.

RESULTS

Results show that the robotic mode performed better than the manual mode on all the measured performance parameters including (a) the total duration to traverse a track, (b) the percentage of time spent outside a track while traversing, and (c) the number of times the scope focus shifts outside the track. Additionally, robotic mode also reduced the perceived workload based on the NASA-TLX scale.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed scope actuation system enhances the maneuverability of flexible endoscopes. It also lays the groundwork for future development of modular and generic scope assistant systems that can be used in both laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures.

A robotic system for solo surgery in flexible ureteroscopy: development and evaluation with clinical users

PURPOSE

The robotic system CoFlex for kidney stone removal via flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) by a single surgeon (solo surgery, abbreviated SSU) is introduced. It combines a versatile robotic arm and a commercially available ureteroscope to enable gravity compensation and safety functions like virtual walls. The haptic feedback from the operation site is comparable to manual fURS, as the surgeon actuates all ureteroscope DoF manually.

METHODS

The system hardware and software as well as the design of an exploratory user study on the simulator model with non-medical participants and urology surgeons are described. For each user study task both objective measurements (e.g., completion time) and subjective user ratings of workload (using the NASA-TLX) and usability (using the System Usability Scale SUS) were obtained.

RESULTS

CoFlex enabled SSU in fURS. The implemented setup procedure resulted in an average added setup time of 341.7 ± 71.6 s, a NASA-TLX value of 25.2 ± 13.3 and a SUS value of 82.9 ± 14.4. The ratio of inspected kidney calyces remained similar for robotic (93.68 %) and manual endoscope guidance (94.74 %), but the NASA-TLX values were higher (58.1 ± 16.0 vs. 48.9 ± 20.1) and the SUS values lower (51.5 ± 19.9 vs. 63.6 ± 15.3) in the robotic scenario. SSU in the fURS procedure increased the overall operation time from 1173.5 ± 355.7 s to 2131.0 ± 338.0 s, but reduced the number of required surgeons from two to one.

CONCLUSIONS

The evaluation of CoFlex in a user study covering a complete fURS intervention confirmed the technical feasibility of the concept and its potential to reduce surgeon working time. Future development steps will enhance the system ergonomics, minimize the users' physical load while interacting with the robot and exploit the logged data from the user study to optimize the current fURS workflow.

Robotic endoscope with double-balloon and double-bend tube for colonoscopy

The insertion of conventional colonoscopes can sometimes cause patients to experience pain during the procedure owing to the stretching of the mesentery. In this study, a prototype of a robotic colonoscope with a double-balloon and double-bend tube based on the conventional double-balloon endoscope was developed to simplify insertion and prevent the overstretching of the colon. Both the outer and inner tubes were confirmed to be free from interference from wires and sheaths. Additionally, all functions such as tip bending, inflation and deflation of the balloons, and actuator-driven pulling and pushing of the inner tube were operated properly. During the insertion test, the device could be reached the cecum of a colon model in approximately 442 s when operated by a non-medical operator. In addition, the device did not overstretch the colon model, thereby suggesting that the insertion mechanism can follow the shape of the colon model. As a result, the developed mechanism has the potential to navigate through a highly-bent colon without overstretching.

User interfaces for actuated scope maneuvering in surgical systems: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

A variety of human computer interfaces are used by robotic surgical systems to control and actuate camera scopes during minimally invasive surgery. The purpose of this review is to examine the different user interfaces used in both commercial systems and research prototypes.

METHODS

A comprehensive scoping review of scientific literature was conducted using PubMed and IEEE Xplore databases to identify user interfaces used in commercial products and research prototypes of robotic surgical systems and robotic scope holders. Papers related to actuated scopes with human-computer interfaces were included. Several aspects of user interfaces for scope manipulation in commercial and research systems were reviewed.

RESULTS

Scope assistance was classified into robotic surgical systems (for multiple port, single port, and natural orifice) and robotic scope holders (for rigid, articulated, and flexible endoscopes). Benefits and drawbacks of control by different user interfaces such as foot, hand, voice, head, eye, and tool tracking were outlined. In the review, it was observed that hand control, with its familiarity and intuitiveness, is the most used interface in commercially available systems. Control by foot, head tracking, and tool tracking are increasingly used to address limitations, such as interruptions to surgical workflow, caused by using a hand interface.

CONCLUSION

Integrating a combination of different user interfaces for scope manipulation may provide maximum benefit for the surgeons. However, smooth transition between interfaces might pose a challenge while combining controls.

Development of Integrated Leader Controller for Forceps/Retractor Manipulation in Single-Port Water-Filled Laparo-Endoscopic Surgery

Single-port water-filled laparo-endoscopic surgery (WaFLES) is a surgical procedure used for treatment in an environment filled with isotonic water in the abdominal cavity under a single-port condition. In this study, we developed two leader controllers for the forceps manipulator and retractor to generate and maintain a surgical workspace for a single-port WaFLES support robot. The development of the specific controller for each device increased the operation time and complicated the motion, such as regripping. We integrated the two functions as a controller to prevent the problem above. We performed grasping and retracting tasks in the virtual surgical workspace to evaluate the proposed controller. Based on the experimental results, we clarified the effect on the operation time by a different mechanism and observed that arranging the switch decreased the operation time. In addition, one of the proposed leader controllers improved operability in terms of operation time during selection and switching from the retractor to the forceps manipulator. However, the arrangement of the switch could adversely affect controller operability when switching from a simple operation (requiring only position control during retractor operation) to a complex operation (requiring both position and posture control during forceps operation). Furthermore, manipulation errors were observed using either of the proposed controllers. Therefore, the sensing procedure of the controller should be improved by addressing these errors in software and hardware.

Robotic-assisted vs non-robotic traction techniques in endoscopic submucosal dissection for malignant gastrointestinal lesions

Endoscopic submucosal dissection is an effective approach with higher en bloc resection and complete resection rate for superficial gastrointestinal (GI) lesions. However, endoscopic submucosal dissection is technically challenging and associated with several adverse events, such as bleeding or perforations. The single channel flexible endoscope’s intrinsic limitations in preserving visualization of the submucosal dissection plane as compared to laparoscopic surgery are the most common cause of complications during the endoscopic submucosal dissection technique. As a result, traction techniques were created as the endoscope’s second helping hand in order to improve the effectiveness of the endoscopic submucosal dissection method. Trainees can master endoscopic submucosal dissection methods more quickly by using traction techniques. The anatomical location of the lesion plays a major role in determining which traction technique should be employed. An appealing way of traction is robot-assisted endoscopic submucosal dissection, and various types of endoscopic robots that allow bimanual operation are currently being developed. The advent of robot-assisted endoscopic technology ushers in a new era of endoscopic submucosal dissection, and with it come its own unique challenges that remain to be elucidated. Future research and development efforts are needed to focus on pathways and curriculums for trainees to master the currently available traction techniques and provide avenues for the development of newer traction modalities. In this article, we discuss evolution, characteristics, technological improvements and clinical comparisons of both robotic and non-robotic endoscopic traction techniques used in endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Robotics in therapeutic endoscopy (with video)

Since its inception, endoscopy has evolved from a solely diagnostic procedure to an expanding therapeutic field within gastroenterology. The incorporation of robotics in gastroenterology initially addressed shortcomings of flexible endoscopes in natural orifice transluminal endoscopy. Developing therapeutic endoscopic robotic platforms now offer operators improved ergonomics, visualization, dexterity, precision, and control and the possibility of increasing proficiency and standardization of complex endoscopic procedures including endoscopic submucosal dissection, endoscopic full-thickness resection, and endoscopic suturing. The following review discusses the history, potential applications, and tools currently available and in development for robotics in therapeutic endoscopy.

Design and Modeling of a Bio-Inspired Compound Continuum Robot for Minimally Invasive Surgery

The continuum robot is a new type of bionic robot which is widely used in the medical field. However, the current structure of the continuum robot limits its application in the field of minimally invasive surgery. In this paper, a bio-inspired compound continuum robot (CCR) combining the concentric tube continuum robot (CTR) and the notched continuum robot is proposed to design a high-dexterity minimally invasive surgical instrument. Then, a kinematic model, considering the stability of the CTR part, was established. The unstable operation of the CCR is avoided. The simulation of the workspace shows that the introduction of the notched continuum robot expands the workspace of CTR. The dexterity indexes of the robots are proposed. The simulation shows that the dexterity of the CCR is 1.472 times that of the CTR. At last, the length distribution of the CCR is optimized based on the dexterity index by using a fruit fly optimization algorithm. The simulations show that the optimized CCR is more dexterous than before. The dexterity of the CCR is increased by 1.069 times. This paper is critical for the development of high-dexterity minimally invasive surgical instruments such as those for the brain, blood vessels, heart and lungs.

Design and Performance Investigation of a Robot-Assisted Flexible Ureteroscopy System

Flexible ureteroscopy (FURS) has been developed and has become a preferred routine procedure for both diagnosis and treatment of kidney stones and other renal diseases inside the urinary tract. The traditional manual FURS procedure is highly skill-demanding and easily brings about physical fatigue and burnout for surgeons. The improper operational ergonomics and fragile instruments also hinder its further development and patient safety enhancement. A robotic system is presented in this paper to assist the FURS procedure. The system with a master-slave configuration is designed based on the requirement analysis in manual operation. A joint-to-joint mapping strategy and several control strategies are built to realize intuitive and safe operations. Both phantom and animal experiments validate that the robot has significant advantages over manual operations, including the easy-to-use manner, reduced intraoperative time, and improved surgical ergonomics. The proposed robotic system can solve the major drawbacks of manual FURS. The test results demonstrate that the robot has great potential for clinical applications.

A Three-Limb Teleoperated Robotic System with Foot Control for Flexible Endoscopic Surgery

Flexible endoscopy requires a lot of skill to manipulate both the endoscope and the associated instruments. In most robotic flexible endoscopic systems, the endoscope and instruments are controlled separately by two operators, which may result in communication errors and inefficient operation. Our solution is to enable the surgeon to control both the endoscope and the instruments. Here, we present a novel tele-operation robotic endoscopic system commanded by one operator using the continuous and simultaneous movements of their two hands and one foot. This 13-degree-of-freedom (DoF) system integrates a foot-controlled robotic flexible endoscope and two hand-controlled robotic endoscopic instruments, a robotic grasper and a robotic cauterizing hook. A dedicated foot-interface transfers the natural foot movements to the 4-DoF movements of the endoscope while two other commercial hand interfaces map the movements of the two hands to the two instruments individually. An ex-vivo experiment was carried out by six subjects without surgical experience, where the simultaneous control with foot and hands was compared with a sequential clutch-based hand control. The participants could successfully teleoperate the endoscope and the two instruments to cut the tissues at scattered target areas in a porcine stomach. Foot control yielded 43.7% faster task completion and required less mental effort as compared to the clutch-based hand control scheme, which proves the concept of three-limb tele-operation surgery and the developed flexible endoscopic system.

Per-oral Endoscopic Myotomy and Other Applications of Third Space Endoscopy: Current Status and Future Perspectives

INTRODUCTION

The modification of NOTES (natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery) by mucosal safety flap has introduced us to the world of third space endoscopy (TSE). POEM (per-oral endoscopic myotomy) for achalasia cardia being its first vista, the realm expanded so that we can now remove en bloc a subepithelial/intramural tumor by POET (per-oral endoscopic tumor resection), perform G-POEM (gastric per-oral endoscopic myotomy) for refractory gastroparesis, restore esophageal continuity in complete obstruction by performing POETRE (per-oral endoscopic tunneling for the restoration of the esophagus), divide the septum in Zenker diverticulum completely with negligible risk of perforation by Z-POEM (Zenker per-oral endoscopic myotomy) and relieve constipation in Hirschsprung disease by PREM (per-rectal endoscopic myotomy). However, the real potential of TSE became evident with the introduction of POEM with fundoplication. TSE has opened the gates of the peritoneal cavity. Improved expertise and equipment will make the role of endoscopist complimentary to the surgeon with the dawn of a new field in therapeutic endoscopy.

AREAS COVERED

This review intends to comprehensively discuss the various aspects of POEM for achalasia studied so far followed by a brief discussion about other applications of TSE and the future perspectives in this exciting field.

Surgical Robot for Intraluminal Access: An Ex Vivo Feasibility Study

Early-stage gastrointestinal cancer is often treated by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) using a flexible endoscope. Compared with conventional percutaneous surgery, ESD is much less invasive and provides a high quality of life for the patient because it does not require a skin incision, and the organ is preserved. However, the operator must be highly skilled because ESD requires using a flexible endoscope with energy devices, which have limited degrees of freedom. To facilitate easier manipulation of these flexible devices, we developed a surgical robot comprising a flexible endoscope and two articulating instruments. The robotic system is based on a conventional flexible endoscope, and an extrapolated motor unit moves the endoscope in all its degrees of freedom. The instruments are thin enough to allow insertion of two instruments into the endoscope channel, and each instrument has a bending section that allows for up–down, right–left, and forward–backward motion. In this study, we performed an ex vivo feasibility evaluation using the proposed robotic system for ESD in a porcine stomach. The procedure was successfully performed by five novice operators without complications. Our findings demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed robotic system and, furthermore, suggest that even operators with limited experience can use this system to perform ESD.

Robotic Surgery in Gastrointestinal Surgery

Robotic surgery is expanding in the minimally invasive treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. In the field of gastrointestinal cancer, robotic surgery is performed using a robot-assisted surgery system. In this system, the robot does not operate automatically but is controlled by the surgeon. The surgery assistant robot currently used in clinical practice worldwide is the leader-follower type, including the da Vinci® Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical). This review describes the current state of robotic surgery in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer and discusses the future development of robotic systems in gastrointestinal surgery.

Robotics in flexible endoscopy: current status and future prospects

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Advanced endoscopy procedures are technically challenging and require extensive training. Recent technological advances made in computer science and robotics have the potential to enhance the performance of complex intraluminal and transluminal interventions and potentially optimize precision and safety. This review covers the different technologies used for robot-assisted interventions in the gastrointestinal tract, organized according to their clinical availability, and focusing on flexible endoscopy-based systems.

RECENT FINDINGS

In the curvilinear gastrointestinal anatomy, robotic technology can enhance flexible endoscopes to augment effectiveness, safety, and therapeutic capabilities, particularly for complex intraluminal and transluminal interventions. Increased visual angles, increased degrees of freedom of instrumentation, optimized navigation, and locomotion, which may lead to a reduced physician learning curve and workload, are promising achievements with the promise to ultimately replace conventional endoscopy techniques for screening and therapeutic endoscopy.

SUMMARY

The majority of these devices are not commercially available yet. The best clinical applications are also currently being researched. Nonetheless, robotic assistance may encourage surgeons to use flexible endoscopes to administer surgical therapies and increase interest among gastroenterologists in advanced therapies. Robotics may be a means to overcome the technical obstacles of incisionless natural orifice procedures and favor an increased adoption of complex endoscopic procedures such as third-space therapies.

Development of a Novel Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Robot Enabling Complete Remote Control of All Operations: Endoscopic Therapeutic Robot System (ETRS)

Background and Objective

The master and slave transluminal endoscopic robot and other flexible endoscopy platforms are designed primarily for the remote control of forceps, with manipulation of the endoscope itself still dependent on conventional techniques. We have developed an endoscopic therapeutic robot system (ETRS) that provides complete remote control of all forceps and endoscope operations.

Method

We carried out endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in porcine stomachs using the ETRS. All procedures were completed with the endoscopist seated at the console the entire time.

Results

Total en bloc resection was achieved in all 7 cases with no complications. The mean total procedure time was 36.14 ± 14.98 min, the mean size of the resected specimen was 3.39 ± 0.66 cm × 3.03 ± 0.63 cm, and the mean dissection time was 14.91 ± 8.61 min.

Conclusion

We successfully used the ETRS to perform completely remote-controlled ESD in porcine stomachs.

Robotics for Advanced Therapeutic Colonoscopy

Although colonoscopy was originally a diagnostic imaging procedure, it has now expanded to include an increasing range of therapeutic interventions. These procedures require precise maneuvers of instruments, execution of force, efficient transmission of force from the operator to the point of application, and sufficient dexterity in the mobilization of endoscopic surgical instruments. The conventional endoscope is not designed to support technically demanding endoscopic procedures. In case of colonoscopy, the tortuous anatomy of the colon makes inserting, moving, and orientating the endoscope difficult. Exerting excessive pressure can cause looping of the endoscope, pain to the patient, and even perforation of the colon. To mitigate the technical constraints, numerous technically enhanced systems have been developed to enable better control of instruments and precise delivery of force in the execution of surgical tasks such as apposing, grasping, traction, counter-traction, and cutting of tissues. Among the recent developments are highly dexterous robotic master and slave systems, computer-assisted or robotically enhanced conventional endoscopes, and autonomously driven locomotion devices that can effortlessly traverse the colon. Developments in endoscopic instrumentations have overcome technical barriers and opened new horizons for further advancements in therapeutic interventions. This review describes examples of some of these systems in the context of their applications to advanced therapeutic colonoscopy.