TY - JOUR
T1 - 2.5-mm articulated endoluminal forceps using a compliant mechanism
AU - Osawa, Keisuke
AU - Bandara, D. S.V.
AU - Nakadate, Ryu
AU - Nagao, Yoshihiro
AU - Akahoshi, Tomohiko
AU - Eto, Masatoshi
AU - Arata, Jumpei
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, CARS.
PY - 2023/1
Y1 - 2023/1
N2 - Purpose: Gastrointestinal cancer can be treated using a flexible endoscope through a natural orifice. However, treatment instruments with limited degrees of freedom (DOFs) require a highly skilled operator. Articulated devices useful for endoluminal procedures, such as endoscopic submucosal dissection and biopsy, have been developed. These devices enable dexterous operation in a narrow lumen; however, they suffer from limitations such as large size and high cost. To overcome these limitations, we developed a 2.5-mm articulated forceps that can be inserted into a standard endoscope channel based on a compliant mechanism. Methods: The compliant mechanism allows the device to be compact and affordable, which is possible due to its monolithic structure. The proposed mechanism consists of two segments, 1-DOF grasping and 2-DOF bending, that are actuated by tendon-sheath mechanisms. A prototype was designed based on finite element analysis results. Results: To confirm the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism, we fabricated the prototype using a 3D printer. A series of mechanical performance tests on the prototype revealed that it achieved the following specifications: (1) DOF: 1-DOF grasping + 2-DOF bending, (2) outer diameter: 2.5 mm, (3) length of the bending segment: 30 mm, and (4) range of motion: 0 ∘ to 20 ∘ (grasping) and -90∘ to +90∘ (bending). Finally, we performed a tissue manipulation test on an excised porcine colon and found that a piece of mucous membrane tissue was successfully resected using an electric knife while being lifted with the developed forceps. Conclusion: The results of the evaluation experiment demonstrated a positive feasibility of the proposed mechanism, which has a simpler structure compared to those of other conventional mechanisms; furthermore, it is potentially more cost-effective and is disposable. The mechanical design, prototype implementation, and evaluations are reported in this paper.
AB - Purpose: Gastrointestinal cancer can be treated using a flexible endoscope through a natural orifice. However, treatment instruments with limited degrees of freedom (DOFs) require a highly skilled operator. Articulated devices useful for endoluminal procedures, such as endoscopic submucosal dissection and biopsy, have been developed. These devices enable dexterous operation in a narrow lumen; however, they suffer from limitations such as large size and high cost. To overcome these limitations, we developed a 2.5-mm articulated forceps that can be inserted into a standard endoscope channel based on a compliant mechanism. Methods: The compliant mechanism allows the device to be compact and affordable, which is possible due to its monolithic structure. The proposed mechanism consists of two segments, 1-DOF grasping and 2-DOF bending, that are actuated by tendon-sheath mechanisms. A prototype was designed based on finite element analysis results. Results: To confirm the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism, we fabricated the prototype using a 3D printer. A series of mechanical performance tests on the prototype revealed that it achieved the following specifications: (1) DOF: 1-DOF grasping + 2-DOF bending, (2) outer diameter: 2.5 mm, (3) length of the bending segment: 30 mm, and (4) range of motion: 0 ∘ to 20 ∘ (grasping) and -90∘ to +90∘ (bending). Finally, we performed a tissue manipulation test on an excised porcine colon and found that a piece of mucous membrane tissue was successfully resected using an electric knife while being lifted with the developed forceps. Conclusion: The results of the evaluation experiment demonstrated a positive feasibility of the proposed mechanism, which has a simpler structure compared to those of other conventional mechanisms; furthermore, it is potentially more cost-effective and is disposable. The mechanical design, prototype implementation, and evaluations are reported in this paper.
KW - Compliant mechanism
KW - Endoluminal instrument
KW - Endoscopic submucosal dissection
KW - Medical robotics
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U2 - 10.1007/s11548-022-02726-9
DO - 10.1007/s11548-022-02726-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 35922706
AN - SCOPUS:85135510988
SN - 1861-6410
VL - 18
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery
JF - International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery
IS - 1
ER -