Robotic system 'inadequate' for performing intraocular surgery, study suggests

Although a robotic system for performing intraocular surgery does provide sufficient agility for completing delicate intraocular manipulations, the kinematics of the robotic arms may be inadequate for standard intraocular surgeries, a study involving animal eyes suggests.

"The system's endoscope did not yield the same detail acquired by an ophthalmic microscope," the study authors said.

Dan H. Bourla, MD, and colleagues investigated the feasibility of the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical) for performing 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy, intraocular foreign body removal and anterior capsulorrhexis on porcine eyes. Specifically, the researchers evaluated the system's ability to provide the necessary control, dexterity, maneuverability and visualization for surgery, according to the study.

The investigators reported that control of the robotic "wristlike" instruments allowed for full range of movement. Also, the robotic arms provided steady instrument motion and excellent dexterity.

However, "controlling the robotic arms was not as intuitive as moving the wrist," the authors said.

"A high stable point of rotation induced motion-related stress at the site of instrument insertion. Visualization of the external operative field during intraocular procedures required camera realignment, and absent retroillumination made anterior segment surgery hard to perform," the authors wrote.

The study is published in the January edition of Retina.