title: Neurosurgical robotic system for brain tumor removal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Brain tumor (e.g., glioma) resection surgery, representing the first step for many treatments, is often difficult and time-consuming for neurosurgeons. Thus, intelligent neurosurgical instruments have been developed to improve tumor removal.
  
  
  METHODS
  The concept and robotic structure of intelligent neurosurgical instruments were introduced. These instruments consist of a surgical robot, a master device and operating software. The robot incorporates a surgical motion base and tool manipulator, including a volume control suction tool. Open Core Control software was developed for connecting intelligent neurosurgical instruments through a network connection and integrating the instruments into a system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mechanical evaluation tests on the components and a preliminary system evaluation were performed. A phantom model was fixed on a head frame, and a tumor-removal procedure was successfully performed using prototype intelligent neurosurgical instruments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intelligent neurosurgical instruments are feasible and suitable for on-going evaluation in practical tasks, including in-vivo animal testing.
authors.affiliation: Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8555, Japan. jumpei@nitech.ac.jp
authors.forename: Jumpei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arata
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kozuka
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ikedo
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Masazumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Yasukazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kajita
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakabayashi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012984:Software; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018511:Systems Integration