A Fully 3D-Printed Steerable Instrument for Minimally Invasive Surgery.

ABSTRACT: In the field of medical instruments, additive manufacturing allows for a drastic reduction in the number of components while improving the functionalities of the final design. In addition, modifications for users' needs or specific procedures become possible by enabling the production of single customized items. In this work, we present the design of a new fully 3D-printed handheld steerable instrument for laparoscopic surgery, which was mechanically actuated using cables. The pistol-grip handle is based on ergonomic principles and allows for single-hand control of both grasping and omnidirectional steering, while compliant joints and snap-fit connectors enable fast assembly and minimal part count. Additive manufacturing allows for personalization of the handle to each surgeon's needs by a

SUBMITTER: Culmone C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8703879 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature