Though endoscopic surgery has drastically changed a myriad of procedures, it’s not exactly “endo” if the tools are still connected to the rigid rods of the instrument that the surgeon holds. A truly “endo” instrument should be able to be positioned freely within the body, allowing for a much greater range of orientations and easier access to patient anatomy. At Vanderbilt University engineers created a proof-of-concept surgical retractor that can be injected into the abdominal cavity and controlled remotely.

The retractor is powered by a handheld joystick that has a powerful magnet to steer it, and a cylindrical magnet mechanized by a motor that can turn a screw. The screw drives a little mechanism that can pull at things. Once the device is inserted into the body, the joystick part is placed on the stomach above the retractor. The two snap together and create a solid bond. Simply pressing a button on the joystick spins the cylindrical magnet, activating the pulling mechanism.

source:Ieeexplore.ieee