The MemoSlide

The MemoSlide: An explorative study into a novel mechanical follow-the-leader mechanism

Henselmans, P.W.J. (TU Delft Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology)
Gottenbos, Stefan (Student TU Delft)
Smit, G. (TU Delft Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology)
Breedveld, P. (TU Delft Medical Instruments & Bio-Inspired Technology)

2017

Follow-the-leader propagation allows for the insertion of flexible surgical instruments along curved paths, reducing the access required for natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery. Currently, the most promising follow-the-leader instruments use the alternating memory method containing two mechanical memory-banks for controlling the motion of the flexible shaft, which reduces the number of actuators to a minimum. These instruments do, however, require concentric structures inside the shaft, limiting its miniaturization. The goal of this research was, therefore, to develop a mechanism conforming the principles of the alternating memory method that could be located at the controller-side instead of inside the shaft of the instrument, which is positioned outside the patient and is therefore less restricted in size. First, the three-dimensional motion of the shaft was decoupled into movement in a horizontal and vertical plane, which allowed for a relatively simple planar alternating memory mechanism design for controlling planar follow-the-leader motion. Next, the planar movement of the alternating memory mechanism was discretized, increasing its resilience to errors. The resulting alternating memory mechanism was incorporated and tested in a proof-of-concept prototype called the MemoSlide. This prototype does not include a flexible shaft, but was fully focused on proving the function of the alternating memory mechanism. Evaluation of the MemoSlide shows the mechanism to work very well, being able to transfer any planar path that lays within its physical boundaries along the body of the mechanism without accumulating errors.

follow-the-leader
minimally invasive surgery
Natural orifices transluminal endoscopic surgery
pathway surgery
surgical instruments

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b01f4a9e-5dda-4ab9-a609-0eca46cb4358

https://doi.org/10.1177/0954411917740388

0954-4119

Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Proceedings. Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 231 (12), 1213-1223

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2017 P.W.J. Henselmans, Stefan Gottenbos, G. Smit, P. Breedveld