title: Application of haptic feedback to robotic surgery.
abstract: Robotic surgical systems have greatly contributed to the advancement of minimally invasive endoscopic surgery. However, current robotic systems do not provide tactile or haptic feedback to the operating surgeon. Under certain circumstances, particularly with the manipulation of delicate tissues and suture materials, this may prove to be a significant irritation. We hypothesize that haptic feedback, in the form of sensory substitution, facilitates the performance of surgical knot tying. This preliminary study describes evidence that visual sensory substitution permits the surgeon to apply more consistent, precise, and greater tensions to fine suture materials without breakage during robot-assisted knot tying.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Bethea
authors.forename: Allison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: Torin P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Fitton
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
authors.forename: Vincent L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Gott
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Yuh
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005246:Feedback; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011126:Polypropylenes; D012371:Robotics; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D013537:Sutures; D014110:Touch
chemical_list: D011126:Polypropylenes