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
. 2013 Jan:72 Suppl 1:139-53.
doi: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e318273a1a3.

Introduction to haptics for neurosurgeons

Rachael L'Orsa  1 , Chris J B Macnab, Mahdi Tavakoli
Affiliations

Introduction to haptics for neurosurgeons

Rachael L'Orsa et al. Neurosurgery. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

Robots are becoming increasingly relevant to neurosurgeons, extending a neurosurgeon's physical capabilities, improving navigation within the surgical landscape when combined with advanced imaging, and propelling the movement toward minimally invasive surgery. Most surgical robots, however, isolate surgeons from the full range of human senses during a procedure. This forces surgeons to rely on vision alone for guidance through the surgical corridor, which limits the capabilities of the system, requires significant operator training, and increases the surgeon's workload. Incorporating haptics into these systems, ie, enabling the surgeon to "feel" forces experienced by the tool tip of the robot, could render these limitations obsolete by making the robot feel more like an extension of the surgeon's own body. Although the use of haptics in neurosurgical robots is still mostly the domain of research, neurosurgeons who keep abreast of this emerging field will be more prepared to take advantage of it as it becomes more prevalent in operating theaters. Thus, this article serves as an introduction to the field of haptics for neurosurgeons. We not only outline the current and future benefits of haptics but also introduce concepts in the fields of robotic technology and computer control. This knowledge will allow readers to be better aware of limitations in the technology that can affect performance and surgical outcomes, and "knowing the right questions to ask" will be invaluable for surgeons who have purchasing power within their departments.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

  • Neurosurgical robotics.
    Holly LT. Holly LT. Int J Med Robot. 2006 Jun;2(2):105-6. doi: 10.1002/rcs.93. Int J Med Robot. 2006. PMID: 17520620 No abstract available.
  • [The overview of robot surgery].
    Dohi T. Dohi T. Nihon Rinsho. 2004 Apr;62(4):824-30. Nihon Rinsho. 2004. PMID: 15106355 Review. Japanese.
  • Virtual reality simulation in neurosurgery: technologies and evolution.
    Chan S, Conti F, Salisbury K, Blevins NH. Chan S, et al. Neurosurgery. 2013 Jan;72 Suppl 1:154-64. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e3182750d26. Neurosurgery. 2013. PMID: 23254804
  • Robotics in neurosurgery.
    McBeth PB, Louw DF, Rizun PR, Sutherland GR. McBeth PB, et al. Am J Surg. 2004 Oct;188(4A Suppl):68S-75S. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2004.08.004. Am J Surg. 2004. PMID: 15476655 Review.
  • Robotics and neurosurgery.
    Nathoo N, Pesek T, Barnett GH. Nathoo N, et al. Surg Clin North Am. 2003 Dec;83(6):1339-50. doi: 10.1016/S0039-6109(03)00157-9. Surg Clin North Am. 2003. PMID: 14712870 Review.
See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources