A team of Japanese researchers has developed a device that could help surgeons perform robotic-assisted heart surgery.
Surgeons performing robotic-assisted heart surgery usually need an assistant to assist them on the operating table. The assistant inserts the robot arm through a small incision. However, the assistant has to constantly ensure that the surgeon has enough room for the robot arm to work.
The device, developed by a group led by Osaka Metropolitan University, will allow more freedom on the part of the surgeon.
A team led by Professors Toshihiko Shibata and Yosuke Takahashi developed the Surgical Field Expansion Plate. The plate was developed from a type of plastic called polyether ether ketone. It is commonly used for medical implants and the aerospace industry.
To understand its effectiveness, the team tested the device during actual heart surgery. The results showed that binding the polyether ether ketone plate into a circular shape expands it to a specific shape. The material retains its shape, protecting the surgical field.
In the study published in the journal Innovations, the team noted that the plate is 0.4 mm thick. It comes in different widths and lengths depending on the needs of the surgery.
“This flexible yet rigid medical-grade device is simple to use and reusable,” said Professor Takahashi.
Takahashi added, “This plate is expected to enable robot-assisted heart surgery that is not dependent on the skill of an assistant, with further applications expected in areas such as oral surgery and otolaryngology.” can
