title: Integrating optical fiber force sensors into microforceps for ORL microsurgery.
abstract: The delicate anatomy of the ear require surgeons to use great care when operating on its internal structures. One example for such an intervention is the stapedectomy, where a small crook shaped piston is placed in the oval window of the cochlea and connected to the incus through crimping thus bypassing the diseased stapes. Performing the crimp process with the correct force is necessary since loose crimps poorly transmit sound whereas tight crimps will eventually result in necrosis of the incus. Clinically, demand is high to reproducibly conduct the crimp process through a precise force measurement. For this reason, we have developed a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) integrated microforceps for use in such interventions. This device was calibrated, and tested in cadaver preparations. With this instrument we were able to measure for the first time forces involved in crimping a stapes prosthesis to the incus. We also discuss a method of attaching and actuating such forceps in conjunction with a robot currently under development in our group. Each component of this system can be used separately or combined to improve surgical accuracy, confidence and outcome.
authors.affiliation: ARTORG Center - Institue for Surgical Technologies and Biomechanics, University of Bern, Stauffacherstrasse 78, CH-3014, Switzerland. brett.bell@istb.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stankowski
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Vidina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stieger
authors.forename: Lutz-Peter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caversaccio
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002138:Calibration; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007188:Incus / Q000601:surgery*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009336:Necrosis / Q000473:pathology; D055100:Optical Fibers; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012371:Robotics; D013201:Stapes Surgery / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013997:Time Factors