Anzhu Gao

Bio: Anzhu Gao is an academic researcher from Harbin Institute of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Bevel gear & Clamping. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 5 publications receiving 133 citations.

The master-slave catheterisation system for positioning the steerable catheter

Abstract: This paper proposes a master-slave catheterisation system including a steerable catheter with positioning function and an insertion mechanism with force feedback. The steerable catheter is integrated with two magnetic tracking sensors for positioning. The distal shape of catheter is displayed with virtual vascular model to generate 3D guiding image to provide the relative relationship between the catheter and its surrounding vessels. The master-slave insertion mechanism with differential gear structure is designed with force feedback to assist surgeons to manipulate the catheter. It can implement pulling/pushing, rotating and bending/recovering the catheter. Based on this system, surgeons in the control room can utilise the master handle to operate the insertion mechanism for positioning the distal end of catheter with the assistance of 3D guiding image. The stability and accuracy of the system is validated in-vitro.

Development of a novel robotic catheter system for endovascular minimally invasive surgery

Abstract: Utilizing catheters with unchangeable distal tip, traditional endovascular minimally invasive surgery is manually performed by surgeons present in an operating room filled with X-ray radiation. It has many disadvantages, such as poor maneuverability, radiation injury and undesirable interactivity, Thus it is difficult to guarantee the safety and efficiency. In order to improve these limitations, this paper develops a novel robotic catheter system with master-slave control, including the steerable catheter integrated with two magnetic tracking sensors, interventional mechanisms with force feedback and 3D guiding image with the collision test. The results demonstrate that the constructed system can reduce the usage of X-rays; surgeons can be located in the control room away from the operating room in the master-slave way; catheterization can be performed successfully and safely to the target point with high maneuverability.

Catheter robot system for minimally invasive interventional operation in blood vessel

Abstract: The invention discloses a catheter robot system for a minimally invasive interventional operation in a blood vessel, relating to a robot system for assisting the minimally invasive interventional operation in the blood vessel, which aims to lower the radiation hazard to patients and doctors on site, realize compartmental interventional operation at different sites and feed back the conveying force of a catheter. A main hand handle and a computer mainframe are arranged in a control room; a control cabinet, a catheter handle, master and slave intervention devices, a magnetic field generator and a controllable catheter are arranged in an operation room; a pose signal of the main hand handle is delivered to the control cabinet after processed by the computer mainframe; the control cabinet is internally provided with a motion control card and a driver; the motion control card receives a command to send an instruction to the driver; the driver delivers a control signal to the motors of the master and slave intervention devices, thereby controlling the intervention devices to realize the pushing/pulling, rotation and bending operations of the controllable catheter; a pose sensor acquires pose information on a controllable bent section, and the pose signal is delivered by the motion control card to the computer mainframe for signal processing. The invention is used for the minimally invasive interventional operation in the blood vessel.

Catheter intervention device with conveying resistance feedback function

Abstract: The invention relates to a catheter intervention device with the conveying resistance feedback function, belonging to a catheter intervention device, and aiming at solving the problems that the existing catheter intervention device is not compact in structure, does not have the conveying resistance feedback function and is operated at the surgical site by doctors getting involved the surgery. Output shafts of a left and a right motors are fixedly sheathed with a left side driving gear and a first-stage driving gear; the left side driving gear is meshed with a left side driven gear; the first-stage driving gear is meshed with a first-stage driven gear; a second-stage driving bevel gear is fixedly connected with the first-stage driven gear; the second-stage driving bevel gear is meshed witha second-stage driven bevel gear; a third-stage driving gear is fixedly connected with the second-stage driven bevel gear; the third-stage driving gear is meshed with a third-stage driven gear; a driving friction inner wheel is fixedly provided with a touch force sensor; the driving friction inner wheel is connected with a driving friction outer wheel by the touch force sensor; a signal output end of the touch force sensor is connected with a signal input end of an amplification circuit board; and an amplifying signal output end of the amplification circuit board is connected with a signal input end of an inner ring of a second electric conduction sliding ring. The catheter intervention device is used for continuously conveying a catheter and feedback of the force.

Intervention operation catheter clamping jaw with dual force feedback function

Abstract: The invention discloses an intervention operation catheter clamping jaw with dual force feedback function, which relates to an intervention operation catheter clamping jaw and solves the problem that a minimally-invasive intervention operation catheter conveying device cannot feed back a push-pull force and a torsional force at the same time. Compression springs are fixedly connected in symmetrically placed spring fixing pieces, clamping disks are connected on the compression springs, a catheter is clamped through the two clamping disks, the clamping disks are connected with armatures through steel wire ropes, the armatures are arranged opposite to electromagnets, the spring fixing pieces and the electromagnets are fixed on an inner torsional ring and an inner ring end cover, an inner torsional rotating shaft and an inner ring shaft are matched with an inner ring of a deep groove ball bearing, a sliding sleeve is sleeved on an outer ring of the deep groove ball bearing, the sliding sleeve is matched with an inner ring of a sleeve type linear motion bearing, the linear motion bearing is fixed on a connector, a push sensor is arranged on the connector, and a torsional force sensor is arranged on the inner torsional ring. The intervention operation catheter clamping jaw realizes clamping, push-pull and torsional dual force feedback function of the intervention operation catheter.

Current and emerging robot-assisted endovascular catheterization technologies: a review.

Abstract: Endovascular techniques have been embraced as a minimally-invasive treatment approach within different disciplines of interventional radiology and cardiology. The current practice of endovascular procedures, however, is limited by a number of factors including exposure to high doses of X-ray radiation, limited 3D imaging, and lack of contact force sensing from the endovascular tools and the vascular anatomy. More recently, advances in steerable catheters and development of master/slave robots have aimed to improve these practices by removing the operator from the radiation source and increasing the precision and stability of catheter motion with added degrees-of-freedom. Despite their increased application and a growing research interest in this area, many such systems have been designed without considering the natural manipulation skills and ergonomic preferences of the operators. Existing studies on tool interactions and natural manipulation skills of the operators are limited. In this manuscript, new technical developments in different aspects of robotic endovascular intervention including catheter instrumentation, intra-operative imaging and navigation techniques, as well as master/slave based robotic catheterization platforms are reviewed. We further address emerging trends and new research opportunities towards more widespread clinical acceptance of robotically assisted endovascular technologies.

A novel robotic catheter system with force and visual feedback for vascular interventional surgery

Abstract: This paper proposes a novel master-slave robotic catheter operating system with force feedback and visual feedback for vascular interventional surgery (VIS). The robotic catheter system has good manoeuvrability, it can transmit the surgeon’s skill to insert and rotate the catheter and avoids danger during VIS using force and visual feedback. In addition, it can be used to train unskilled surgeons to perform VIS. We performed a simulation experiment to validate our system using an endovascular evaluator (EVE). The experimental results demonstrated that the stability and response of the system were good. The robotic catheter system is suitable for performing VIS.

Design and experimental evaluation of a teleoperated haptic robot–assisted catheter operating system:

Abstract: Minimally invasive surgery and therapy is popularly used both for diagnosis and for surgery. Teleoperation, a promising surgery, is used to protect the surgeon from X-ray radiation as well as to address the problem of lacking experienced surgeons in remote rural areas. However, surgery success ratio should be considered because the surgeon was separated from the patient remotely. A most effective addressing method to improve success ratio is design of a haptic interface as a master console, which can provide the “immersive” operation to the surgeon. In this study, a haptic catheter operation system for teleoperation through exploiting magnetorheological fluids is proposed to solve the safety problem. The haptic sensation is provided by varying the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluids by adjusting the magnetic field, which is dependent on the force measured in the slave manipulator. Therefore, three parts of the haptic interface were designed and fabricated: magnetic field, magnetorheological fluids ...

A cooperation of catheters and guidewires-based novel remote-controlled vascular interventional robot

Abstract: Remote-controlled vascular interventional robots (RVIRs) are being developed to increase the overall accuracy of surgical operations and reduce the occupational risks of intervening physicians, such as radiation exposure and chronic neck/back pain. Several RVIRs have been used to operate catheters or guidewires accurately. However, a lack of cooperation between the catheters and guidewires results in the surgeon being unable to complete complex surgery by propelling the catheter/guidewire to the target position. Furthermore, it is a significant challenge to operate the catheter/guidewire accurately and detect their proximal force without damaging their surfaces. In this study, we introduce a novel method that allows catheters and guidewires to be operated simultaneously in complex surgery. Our method accurately captures force measurements and enables precisely controlled catheter and guidewire operation. A prototype is validated through various experiments. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed RVIR to operate a catheter and guidewire accurately, detect the resistance forces, and complete complex surgical operations in a cooperative manner.

Operation evaluation in-human of a novel remote-controlled vascular interventional robot.

Abstract: Remote-controlled vascular interventional robots (RVIRs) are being developed to increase the accuracy of surgical operations and reduce the number of occupational risks sustained by intervening physicians, such as radiation exposure and chronic neck/back pain. However, complex control of the RVIRs improves the doctor's operation difficulty and reduces the operation efficiency. Furthermore, incomplete sterilization of the RVIRs will increase the risk of infection, or even cause medical accidents. In this study, we introduced a novel method that provides higher operation efficiency than a previous prototype and allows for complete robot sterilization. A prototype was fabricated and validated through laboratory setting experiments and an in-human experiment. The results illustrated that the proposed RVIR has better performance compared with the previous prototype, and preliminarily demonstrated that the proposed RVIR has good safety and reliability and can be used in clinical surgeries.