Design and realization of a master-slave system for reconstructive microsurgery

Abstract

Design and Realization of a Master-Slave System for Reconstructive MicrosurgeryIn this thesis a novel robotic system is proposed, able to assist during reconstructive surgery procedures involving microsurgical techniques, which are becoming more and more common.The number of surgeons capable of performing such techniques manually is limited, causing long waiting lists, as is the case for DIEP breast reconstruction.The demand for reconstructive surgery is expected to increase, whereas the capacity of microsurgeons will remain inadequate.The proposed robotic solution is based on maintaining work methods and infrastructure in the operating room (OR).An extensive analysis of these conventional methodologies is combined with a review of currently available alternative solutions.This has led to the design of a new master-slave system, called the Micro Surgical Robot (MSR).Aside from offering improved performance during microsurgery, the MSR design concept is focused on safety, ease-of-use, and cost-effectiveness.