A new Micromanipulator System for middle ear surgery

Abstract

In this article, a new Micromanipulator System (MMS-II) for middle ear surgery is presented. The purpose of this work was to develop a simple but effective manipulator that would enable the surgeon to move standard surgical instruments in a precise way even under non-ergonomic conditions. The MMS-II is lightweight, small, and easy to use; it requires no PC, besides a small microcontroller-based joystick console. Such features, together with a practicable sterilization concept and the availability of a multiplicity of surgical instruments, allow the system to be used in standard surgical procedures.