title: Robot assisted stapedotomy ex vivo with an active handheld instrument.
abstract: Micron is a fully handheld active micromanipulator that helps to improve position accuracy and precision in microsurgery by cancelling hand tremor. This work describes adaptation, tuning, and testing of the Micron system for stapedotomy, a microsurgical procedure performed in the middle ear to restore hearing that requires accurate manipulation in narrow spaces. Two end-effectors, a handle, and a brace (or rest) were designed and prototyped. The control system was adapted for the new hardware. The system was tested ex vivo in stapedotomy procedure comparing manually-performed and Micron-assisted surgical tasks. Tremor amplitude was found to be reduced significantly. Further testing is needed in order to obtain statistically significant results regarding other parameters dealing with regularity of the fenestra shape.
authors.forename: Tobia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vendrametto
authors.forename: Jacob S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: McAfee
authors.forename: Barry E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Cameron N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Riviere
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrigno
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Momi
mesh_terms: D004423:Ear / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013201:Stapes Surgery / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D014202:Tremor