Autonomous control of a medical stand for urological surgeries

Abstract

This article discusses the development of a medical stand for automated retrograde intrarenal surgery. An analysis of the possibilities for automated ureteroscope control using the medical stand is conducted. Alternative developments in this area are considered. The kinematics of a ureteroscope in the surgeon's hands are examined, and its kinematic diagram is provided. The process of tracking the trajectories of the ureteroscope and the surgeon's hand during surgery is conducted. The relationship between the movement of the surgeon's hand and the rotation of the ureteroscope is determined. The range of motion sufficient for performing surgery using the medical stand is determined. Based on the obtained data, the parameters of the medical stand are determined. An algorithm for operating the stand during retrograde intrarenal surgery is proposed. The algorithm includes: defining the workspace by processing an X-ray image, constructing a graph in this space using Delaunay triangulation, and planning the shortest trajectory of movement of the distal end of the ureteroscope towards the stone using Dijkstra's algorithm. The advantages of using the selected methods to solve this problem are revealed. A system for controlling the stand in remote control mode using console handles, depending on the handle rotation speed, is proposed. Graphs of the voltage and rotation speed of the ureteroscope handle versus time during console handle rotation are presented, obtained experimentally using a stand prototype. The data obtained may further assist in the development of a medical stand for retrograde intrarenal surgery.