Master and Slave Robotic System For Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a surgical technique that performs operation to the patient by using an endoscope which passed through the natural orifice in the body then through an incision internally thus avoiding any external incisions or scars. The potential advantages are reduced usage of anesthesia, faster pain and recovery leaving the patient with no visible scars on the body. A major hurdle for NOTES is the difficulty in maneuvering accessories, which can only be moved in one plane in relation to the endoscope. A robotic manipulator was designed for endoscopic use which can simulate the movements of the human upper limbs. The system consists of a master, a telesurgical workstation, and a slave manipulator. Complex and intricate maneuvers such as grasping, retraction and cutting can be effortlessly reproduced. This system has been used in bench and in vivo pig experiments Compared with robotic manipulators for minimally invasive surgery, almost the whole length of the robotic manipulator is flexible and therefore making it capable to follow the endoscope through the natural orifice of the human body.