Arthroscopic robots

Flexible robots for exploring the body - Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition in which cartilage inside a joint breaks down, causing pain and limited to joint motion to sufferers. The condition can be managed with interventional arthroscopic procedures in which long, slender surgical tools are passed in to the affected joint. However, the conventional rigid instruments used in current clinical practice can only access limited regions of the anatomy. For arthroscopic interventions in the knee, some posterior areas cannot be visualized and interventional therapy cannot be delivered. To address this shortcoming, I developed a hand-held mechatronic arthroscopic device with a miniature (4mm diameter) flexible tip capable of highly dexterous manipulation within the confined space of the knee joint. The device contained a camera, light source and microscopy probe for imaging and assessment of the cartilage. The device was trialed in a cadaveric experiment and knee phantoms.