Robot can provide extra eye for surgeons
A Nebraska researcher has developed a robot that can be inserted into a patient's abdomen to give surgeons a new perspective during operations.
The robot, developed at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, is designed to provide additional information for surgeons performing minimally invasive "keyhole" procedures.
The device can move around inside a patient's abdomen to give surgeons a new perspective on the area. The robot is also equipped with a retractable needle, allowing it to perform biopsies.
The device is 15 millimeters in diameter and can be inserted through the small incisions used in keyhole surgery. It consists of two rotating aluminum cylinders connected by an axle that carries the camera. The spiral pattern on the surface of the cylinders allows them to grip the walls of the abdominal cavity and move without slipping or damaging tissue.
Dmitry Oleynikov, who developed the device, will present his device during April's annual meeting of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons in Dallas.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
