Tiny Robot ‘Wrist’ Could Make Surgery Faster And Safer

A tiny new pincer-like mechanical ‘wrist’ is set to provide surgeons with more dexterity than ever before.

Designed for use in needlescopic surgery - which uses instruments that have been shrunk to roughly the size of a sewing needle - the new device will be used in hard-to-reach areas such as the nose, throat, ears and brain.

Needlescopic equipment is designed to be as minimally invasive as possible, but the small size of the instruments means that there is little dexterity.

Created by a group of researchers at Vanderbilt University, the new device features a bendable tip that enables surgeons to steer medical instruments more effectively.

Surgeons can pull a wire that runs along the inside of the nickel titanium instrument in order to bend the tip up to 90 degrees, thanks to a series of tiny notches.

This enables the surgeon to bend surgical instruments to the side for tasks such as tying a knot or dissecting small areas - something that wasn’t possible before.

Measuring just 2mm across, the ‘wrist’ is used in conjunction with existing surgical robots and is described by its creators as a ‘game-changer’.

While the gadget could potentially be used in various types of surgery, the researchers hope to test their creation during a procedure to remove tumours at the base of the skull.

By passing the instrument though the naval cavity, the operation is far less intrusive - usually it would involve surgically opening up the patient’s face or skull.

According to medical experts, the new procedure would enable a speedier recovery and prevent any facial scarring.

“In my experience, the smaller the instruments, the less post-operative pain patients experience and the faster they recover,” said Professor of Urological Surgery S. Duke Herrell, who is consulting on the project.

The research team hopes to have the device approved for use in four to five year.

(Image credit: Vanderbilt University)