Fiber Optic Sensor Integrated Micro-forceps

C12631, ‘Fiber optic sensor integrated micro-forceps’
 
Unmet Need
To safely and efficiently perform retinal microsurgery, accurate and precise tool tip control is required. Currently, highly skilled retinal surgeons complete basic microsurgical objectives by employing high levels of concentration, dexterity and fine motor control, relying on years of training and experience to carry out the defined motor task. Accuracy and precision can be further facilitated by reducing the physiological hand tremor which predominates in a frequency band of about 6-12 Hertz, on the order of 100 μm of motion that is neither directed nor intended. The reduction in tremor motion is particularly important in procedures where surgeons use unassisted hand tools, like micro-forceps, to peel micron-scale membranes from the delicate retinal surface, without damaging fragile neurons. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), which is a prevailing diagnostic imaging modality in clinical ophthalmology, has recently been shown to be potentially useful as a sensor for intraoperative tool control. There is a need for a method to utilize the benefits of OCT as it pertains to tool-tip stability in microsurgery.
 
Technology Overview
Johns Hopkins researchers describe handheld micro-forceps that are guided by fiber-optic common-path optical coherence tomography (CP-OCT).  These micro-forceps are designed for precise distance-sensing, particularly at the small scales needed for microsurgery. A fiber-optic CP-OCT distance and motion sensor is integrated into the shaft of a micro-forceps. This sensor assesses tool tip motion relative to the target and compensates for unwanted and unintended tremor using a high-speed piezoelectric motor, allowing for more accurate and precise instrument control. This novel design significantly enhances the safety and efficiency of microsurgery, and consequently improves surgical outcomes.
 
Stage of Development
The basic grasping and peeling functions of micro-forceps were evaluated in dry phantom and biological tissue models. Compared to freehand use, active tremor compensation of this invention significantly improved user performance in targeted grasping and peeling performance by enabling more accurate and precise tool control. Johns Hopkins currently holds a patent for this invention (US 9,872,692 B2).
 
Publications
Song, C et al. 2013 Biomed Opt Express. 2013 Jul 1; 4(7): 1045–1050
 
Cheon, G et al. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics. 2017 Dec; 22(6): 2440-2448.

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