Minimally Invasive Procedures aim at reducing the trauma of access related to surgical operations or medical interventions. This in contrary to open procedures, where the access openings in the human body, made to directly manipulate tissue by hand and to observe the hands by direct eye-sight lead to severe post-operative wounds.
Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques have the advantage of reduced post-operative pain, less incidence of wound infections and shorter hospital stay, thus resulting in earlier return to normal life and productive work. Improved tools and image-aided techniques are developed to facilitate these for the physician-complicated procedures.
prof.dr. J. Dankelman
prof.dr.ir.C.A.Grimbergen
New techniques and clinical skills are required to create minimally invasive access to yet unreachable sites and to perform therapeutical tasks via the small access ports.
Time-action analysis is used as a starting point to analyze the minimally invasive procedures and assess limitations and problems. Special attention is paid to the mechanical properties and steerability of the catheter as a subject of study. Alternative steering mechanisms will be considered and implemented. In cooperation with the Electronical Instrumentation group of Delft University of Technology innovative sensor and actuator designs (Silicon MicroElectroMechanical Systems) will be implemented for use at catheter tips.
