Our goal is to make foetal surgery safer and more accessible to a broader set of surgeons. To do this, we’re working to develop a device, part of a £10m project bringing together world-renowned experts in foetal surgery, robotics, physics, optics and medical image computing. The device will enable surgeons to operate from outside the womb using an extended flexible roboticised arm fed in through a small incision in the abdomen of the mother. Three fingers will give the surgeon even more dexterity and better vision at the surgery site. While two of the fingers can carry out procedures – in the case of spina bifida, patching up the source of the protrusion from the spine – the third may carry an innovative endoscopic imaging device to create 3D images of the womb to assist the surgeon. The images will appear on a screen visible to the surgeon and will help surgeons actively work in a difficult environment where the foetus might move for example. The images will also serve as a feedback for guiding the roboticised arm.
Posted on: Sun, 08 Jun 2014 11:30:30 +0000