Robotic endoscopic surgery in a porcine model of the infant neck.

ABSTRACT: Minimally invasive surgery is rapidly becoming the desired surgical standard, especially for pediatric patients. Infants and children are a particular technical challenge, however, because of the small size of target anatomical structures and the small surgical workspace. Computer-assisted robot-enhanced surgical telemanipulators may overcome these challenges by facilitating surgery in a small workspace. We studied the feasibility of performing robotic endoscopic neck surgery on a porcine model of the human infant neck. The study design was a prospective, feasibility pilot study of a small cohort for proof of concept and for a survival model. Sixteen non-survival piglets weighing 4.5-10 kg were used to develop the surgical approach and operative technique. Eight piglets aged 3-6 weeks old

SUBMITTER: Faust RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4677346 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature