Design and Performance of a Surgical Tool Tracking System for Minimally Invasive Surgery

The technique of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) introduces new interfaces as compared to more traditional open surgical techniques. These interfaces impose motion constraints and forces on the tool(s) and hand(s). These interfaces are not well characterized, yet surgical simulators and surgical robots are being developed without this vital information. Much work has been done by our group with regard to measuring and analyzing the forces and torques being applied by the surgeons during two common laparoscopic procedures in order to objectively evaluate skill level. However, it is assumed that quantifying tool position would help to further discriminate skill level by allowing analysis of power and energy production by the surgeon: expert surgeons are hypothesized to exert less effort, as measured by mechanical work, than a non-expert during the course of an operation. A system for measuring these motions, as well as the forces and torques applied during surgery is described and evaluated.