Abstract
Most surgical simulators leverage virtual or bench models to simulate reality. This study proposes and validates a method for workspace configuration of a surgical simulator which utilizes a haptic device for interaction with a virtual model and a bench model to provide additional tactile feedback based on planned surgical manoeuvers. Numerical analyses were completed to determine the workspace and position of a haptic device, relative to the bench model, used in the surgical simulator, and the determined configuration was validated using device limitations and user data from surgical and nonsurgical users. For the validation, surgeons performed an identical surgery on a cadaver prior to using the simulator, and their trajectories were then compared to the determined workspace for the haptic device. The configuration of the simulator was determined appropriate through workspace analysis and the collected user trajectories. Statistical analyses suggest differences in trajectories between the participating surgeons which were not affected by the imposed haptic workspace. This study, therefore, demonstrates a method to optimally position a haptic device with respect to a bench model while meeting the manoeuverability needs of a surgical procedure. The validation method identified workspace position and user trajectory towards ideal configuration of a mixed reality simulator.
Highlights
Spinal surgeries require intricate motor skills due to the proximity of the spine to neurological components and potential adjacent vascularization
There are a few discrepancies between the two models as the joints are constrained by the physical structure of the haptic device despite the range of motion permitted by the joints of the robotic arm
The volume of the computer-aided design (CAD) is 6:37 × 107 mm3 whereas the workspace that was developed using the kinematics of the haptic device has a volume of 6:44 × 107mm3
Summary
Spinal surgeries require intricate motor skills due to the proximity of the spine to neurological components and potential adjacent vascularization. Improper practice of surgical techniques leads to serious complications; for example, neural injuries, pulmonary embolus, neurological deficit, and infection within the operating area [1, 2]. With MI procedures, the likelihood of serious complications increases due to the constraints imposed by the surgical environments. Despite the patient benefits, MI procedures are associated with limitations for surgeons, including a 2-dimensional view of the operating area from a video camera, hindered hand-eye coordination, tremor in the surgical tools, fulcrum effect of surgical tools about the incision point, and a need for dexterity of both hands [6]. The fulcrum effect refers to the tool moving in the opposite direction in the surgical area when moved in a specific direction by the surgeon outside the incision and is based on the constraints set forth by the surgical port or the incision [7, 8]
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