Abstract
Steerable surgical drills have the potential to minimize intraoperative tissue damage to patients. However, due to their large shaft diameters, large bend radii, and small bend angles, existing steerable drills are unsuitable for dexterous operations in confined spaces. This article presents a handheld steerable drill with a ϕ4.5-mm miniaturized tip, capable of abruptly bending up to ±65°. To achieve a small tip diameter and a large bend angle, we propose a novel articulated joint module composed of a tendon-driven geared rolling joint and a double universal joint for steering the drill shaft and transmitting drilling torques, respectively. We integrate this joint module with a customized compact actuation unit into a handheld device. The integrated handheld steerable drill is slim and lightweight, supporting burdenless, single-handed grips and easy integration into existing surgical procedures. Experiments and analysis showed the proposed steerable drill has high distal dexterity and is capable to remove target tissues dexterously through a small passage/incision with minimized collateral damage. The results suggest the potential of the proposed miniaturized articulated drill for dexterous bone work in confined spaces. By enhancing distal dexterity and reach for surgeons when dealing with hard bony tissues, the proposed device can potentially minimize surgical invasiveness and thus collateral tissue damage to patients for a better clinical outcome.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.