Development of virtual-reality simulator system for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) using fractional-order vascular access

Currently, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is applied in the diagnosis and surgery using an endoscope or a catheter for neurosurgery and for endovascular diseases, such as aneurysm, atrial septal defect (ASD), embolization, and cerebral aneurysm. This study proposes virtual-reality (VR) simulator system for double interventional cardiac catheterization (ICC) using fractional order vascular access tracker and haptic force producer. An endoscope or a catheter for diagnosis and surgery of cardiovascular disease has been commonly used in minimally invasive surgery. It needs specific skills and experiences for young surgeons or postgraduate year (PGY) students to operate a Berman catheter and a pigtail catheter in the inside of the human body and requires avoiding damaging vessels. To improve the training in inserting catheters, a double-catheter mechanism is designed for the ICC procedures. A fractional-order vascular access tracker is used to trace the senior surgeons' consoled trajectories and transmit the frictional feedback and visual feedback during the insertion of catheters. Based on the clinical feeling through the aortic arch, vein into the ventricle, or tortuous blood vessels, haptic force producer is used to mock the elasticity of the vessel wall using voice coil motors (VCMs). The VR establishment with surgeons' consoled vessel trajectories and hand feeling is achieved, and the experimental results show the effectiveness for the double ICC procedures.