Position based model of a flexible ureterorenoscope in a virtual reality training platform for a minimally invasive surgical robot

Abstract

Although the total number of ureteroscopy interventions during the past years has significantly increased, current flexible ureteroscopy procedures still present some limitations to urologic surgeons. However, nowadays different robotic systems have been developed in order to reduce those limitations. Flexible ureteroscopy robots provide a technological alternative which combines the benefits that this type of procedures offers to the patients, and solutions to the problems encountered from the surgeons perspective. In this paper, a virtual reality training platform for robot-assisted flexible ureterorenoscopy interventions is presented. A position based model for the virtual flexible endoscope is detailed and a standard user interface for the training platform is designed. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the performance of the training platform in different scenarios, including the navigation through a three-dimensional ureterorenal model, is presented. The obtained results determine that the training platform presents different computational rates depending on the complexity of the implemented environment and on the number of collisions and constraints that have to be handled. Nevertheless, the virtual model is visually plausible, effective for real-time user interaction and suitable for training.