Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Mar 3;13(3):692.
doi: 10.3390/life13030692.

First-in-Human Integrated Use of a Dedicated Microsurgical Robot with a 4K 3D Exoscope: The Future of Microsurgery

Affiliations

First-in-Human Integrated Use of a Dedicated Microsurgical Robot with a 4K 3D Exoscope: The Future of Microsurgery

Tom J M van Mulken et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

Innovative techniques can help overcome the limitations of the human body. Operating on very small structures requires adequate vision of the surgical field and precise movements of sophisticated instruments. Both the human eye and hand are limited when performing microsurgery. Conventional microsurgery uses operation microscopes to enhance the visualization of very small structures. Evolving technology of high-definition 3D cameras provides the opportunity to replace conventional operation microscopes, thereby improving ergonomics for surgeons. This leaves the human hand as a limiting factor in microsurgery. A dedicated robot for microsurgery has been developed to overcome this limitation and enhance the precision and stability of the surgeons' hands. We present the first-in-human case in reconstructive microsurgery where both technologies are integrated using a dedicated microsurgical robot in combination with a 4K 3D exoscope.

Keywords: exoscope; innovation; microsurgery; microsurgical robot; plastic and reconstructive surgery.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

T.J.M.v.M. is medical advisor of Microsure, R.R.W.J.v.d.H. and T.J.M.v.M. are shareholders in Microsure.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
MUSA robot (Microsure B.V., Son, The Netherlands), a dedicated microsurgical robot.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ORBEYE 4K 3D system (Olympus Inc., Tokyo, Japan), an exoscope.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pre-operative X-ray demonstrating nonunion of the comminuted fracture containing (necrotic) bone parts (a,b).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Intraoperative X-ray: debrided necrotic bone and soft tissue and placement of cement spacer and T2 tibial nail.
Figure 5
Figure 5
MUSA robot and ORBEYE system draped and installed above surgical field.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Clinical photos of the ALT flap on the lower leg and donor site of the upper leg demonstrating a vital coverage of the bone reconstruction (a,b). (21 December 2022).
Figure 7
Figure 7
X-ray 4 months postoperatively demonstrating progressing consolidation (a,b). (December 2022).

References

    1. van Mulken T.J.M., Boymans C.A.E.M., Schols R.M., Cau R., Schoenmakers F.B.F., Hoekstra L.T., Qiu S.S., Selber J.C., Van Der Hulst R.R.W.J. Preclinical Experience Using a New Robotic System Created for Microsurgery. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 2018;142:1367–1376. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000004939. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Alrasheed T., Liu J., Hanasono M.M., Butler C.E., Selber J.C. Robotic microsurgery: Validating an assessment tool and plotting the learning curve. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 2014;134:794–803. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000000550. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Saleh D., Syed M., Kulendren D., Ramakrishnan V., Liverneaux P. Plastic and reconstructive robotic microsurgery—A review of current practices. Ann. Chir. Plast. Esthet. 2015;60:305–312. doi: 10.1016/j.anplas.2015.03.005. - DOI - PubMed
    1. ORBEYE—4K 3D Orbital Camera System. Evolution in NeuroSurgery Imaging. [(accessed on 22 January 2023)]. Available online: https://www.olympus-europa.com/medical/en/Products-and-Solutions/Product....
    1. van Mulken T.J.M., Schols R.M., Qiu S.S., Brouwers K., Hoekstra L.T., Booi D.I., Cau R., Schoenmakers F., Scharmga A.M.J., Hulst R.R.W.J. Robotic (super) microsurgery: Feasibility of a new master-slave platform in an in vivo animal model and future directions. J. Surg. Oncol. 2018;118:826–831. doi: 10.1002/jso.25195. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources