Surgeons create flexible catheter for robot-assisted brain surgery

An international team of scientists has developed a flexible device for minimally invasive brain surgery using robotic surgeons. The findings of researchers from Imperial College London and the University of Milan have been published in the journal PLOS ONE, according to the college's press service.

The device consists of a soft, flexible catheter that does not damage the brain when inserted, and a robotic arm with artificial intelligence that helps surgeons guide the catheter through brain tissue.

In creating the catheter, the researchers were inspired by the organs of parasitic bees, which they use to lay eggs in the bark of trees. The catheter consists of four segments that slide over each other, providing flexible control.

Currently, rigid catheters are used in brain surgery, which are difficult to install accurately without the help of robotic instruments. The inflexibility of catheters, combined with the complex structure of the brain, creates additional risks.

To test their platform, the researchers placed a catheter in the brains of two live sheep. The animals were given painkillers and monitored around the clock for a week for signs of pain or stress, and then they were sedated and cut open. The scientists found no signs of pain, tissue damage or infection in the sheep after the catheter was implanted.

The authors expect to start using the device in the clinic within the next four years. The development will help surgeons penetrate deeper into the brain and facilitate the diagnosis and investigation of brain tumors, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

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