Miniaturised ultrasonic scalpel for robotic surgical procedures
Lead Participant:
NAMI SURGICAL
Abstract
Nami Surgical is a spin-out from the University of Glasgow. Biomedical engineers from the Centre for Medical and Industrial Ultrasonics (C-MIU) in the EPSRC Ultrasurge (Surgery enabled by Ultrasonics) Programme team ([www.gla.ac.uk/research/ultrasurge/][0]) have invented a solution to a complex problem in ultrasonic surgical devices.
Ultrasonic scalpels are handheld surgical devices that simultaneously cut and cauterise. These devices are the gold standard energy instrument used in \>80% of minimally invasive surgeries. Feedback from surgeons is that they strongly prefer ultrasonic scalpels over conventional cutting tools.
In parallel, surgical robotic devices are rapidly diffusing throughout the global healthcare system, with dozens of firms formed since 1999 to develop and manufacture these products. It is forecast that by 2025, close to 100% of US hospitals will have at least one surgical robot, up from about 25% in 2016\.
However, due to the technical characteristics and physical limitations of existing ultrasonic scalpels they cannot be used with surgical robots. Existing scalpels have transducers that are too large for laparoscopic ports and thus require long end effector waveguides to transfer energy to the surgical site. These waveguides cannot be bent, lack manoeuvrability at the distal end, and generate heat (\>190C) that damages tissue and smoke that reduces visibility and is a biohazard.
Our solution is a miniaturised ultrasonic scalpel that is compatible with robotic surgery. This patent-pending technology allows the ultrasonic scalpel to be mounted directly as the end effector of a wristed robotic arm so addressing a real clinical and market need.
[0]: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/ultrasurge/
Ultrasonic scalpels are handheld surgical devices that simultaneously cut and cauterise. These devices are the gold standard energy instrument used in \>80% of minimally invasive surgeries. Feedback from surgeons is that they strongly prefer ultrasonic scalpels over conventional cutting tools.
In parallel, surgical robotic devices are rapidly diffusing throughout the global healthcare system, with dozens of firms formed since 1999 to develop and manufacture these products. It is forecast that by 2025, close to 100% of US hospitals will have at least one surgical robot, up from about 25% in 2016\.
However, due to the technical characteristics and physical limitations of existing ultrasonic scalpels they cannot be used with surgical robots. Existing scalpels have transducers that are too large for laparoscopic ports and thus require long end effector waveguides to transfer energy to the surgical site. These waveguides cannot be bent, lack manoeuvrability at the distal end, and generate heat (\>190C) that damages tissue and smoke that reduces visibility and is a biohazard.
Our solution is a miniaturised ultrasonic scalpel that is compatible with robotic surgery. This patent-pending technology allows the ultrasonic scalpel to be mounted directly as the end effector of a wristed robotic arm so addressing a real clinical and market need.
[0]: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/ultrasurge/
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| NAMI SURGICAL | £329,368 | £ 289,368 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| AlexisFu Roberts-McIntosh (Project Manager) |