Multi-Quadrant Surgical Robot for Single Incision Laparoscopic Colectomy

Colorectal surgery is an area of active research within general surgery. However, over 80% of these procedures currently require an open surgery based on the size and location of the tumor. The current state-of-the-art surgical instruments are unintuitive, restricted by the incision site, and often require timely repositioning tasks during complex surgical procedures. A multi-quadrant miniature in vivo surgical robot has been developed to mitigate these limitations as well as the invasiveness of colorectal procedures. By reducing invasiveness, the patient benefits from improved cosmetics, decreased postoperative pain, faster recovery time, and reduced financial burden. A paradigm shift in invasiveness is often inversely proportional to surgeon benefits. Yet, through the use of a robotic device, the surgeon benefits from improved ergonomics, intuitive control, and fewer required repositioning tasks. This paper presents a two armed robotic device that can be controlled from a remote surgical interface. Each arm has six internally actuated degrees of freedom, decoupling the system from the incision site. Each arm is also equipped with a specialized interchangeable end effector. For the surgical procedure, visual feedback is provided through the use of a standard laparoscope with incorporated light source. The robotic device is introduced into the abdominal cavity through a hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) port that is placed within the navel. The device is then grossly positioned to the site of interest within the abdominal cavity through the use of a protruding rod that is rigidly attached to each arm. The surgeon can then begin to manipulate tissue through the use of the surgical interface that is remotely located within the operating room. This interface is comprised of a monitor to provide visual feedback, foot pedals to control the operational state of the device, and two haptic devices to control the end point location of each arm and state of the end effectors.