Surgery guidance and therapy administration

In this project, we address two primary challenges in ophthalmic surgeries: enhancing the accuracy and precision of surgical procedures and developing targeted drug and therapy administration methods for specific eye regions. To achieve these goals, we have developed an integrated image-guided and robotic-aided ocular microscopy platform that leverages Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) image-guidance to improve surgical accuracy.

Our approach employs a dual cross-scan technique, with one scan recorded along the tool and the other across to the tool’s tip. This method facilitates real-time previews of the surgical area, providing depth information that are more interpretable than commonly used 3D visualizations. The 2D imaging approach offers additional advantages, being less computationally demanding and presenting potential for future cost-effective solutions.

The robotic arm, with a surgical tool mounted at the wrist, serves as a critical component of our system. It addresses several key aspects of ophthalmic surgeries: mitigating physiological tremors, supporting both surgeon assistance and fully automated operations, and providing instantaneous information about the tool’s tip position. This enables real-time locking of the OCT dual cross-scan pattern to the surgical tool position.

We are actively exploring various navigation information sources, including image-based methods from microscopes and OCT, as well as non-image-based approaches. Currently, our research focuses on developing novel retinal injection tools aimed at improving the effectiveness of vision restoration treatments.

Text: Karol Karnowski, PhD, Acting IDoc Leader

Project team:

Karol Karnowski

Krzysztof Gromada

Piotr Nalewajko

Adam Kurek

Tomasz Gawroński

Andrea Curatolo

Project in collaboration with other ICTER groups.

Related funding: IRAP (MAB) and IRAP (MAB) FENG – FNP

References:

1. Karol M. Karnowski, K. Gromada, T. Piesio, P. Ciąćka, A. Kurek, A. Curatolo „Real-Time OCT Cross-Section Display via Robotic Arm-Guided Surgical Tool,”, The Optica Biophotonics Congress: Biomedical Optic, Fort Lauderdale, USA, 09.04.2024, oral presentation

2. K. Karnowski, K. Gromada, T. Piesio, P. Ciąćka, A. Kurek, A. Curatolo, „Ophthalmic intraoperative OCT system with robotic arm-based tracking of surgical tools,” Photonics West, San Francisco, USA, 28.01.2024, oral presentation

3. K. Karnowski, K. Gromada, T. Piesio, P. Ciąćka, A. Kurek, A. Curatolo, „Robotic arm-based surgical tool tracking for real-time display of intraoperative OCT cross-sections at the surgical tool tip,” Microsimposium of the IPC PAS, 10.01.2024, oral presentation

4. K. Karnowski, K. Gromada, T. Piesio, P. Ciąćka, A. Kurek, A. Curatolo “Robotic arm-based surgical tool tracking for real-time display of intraoperative OCT cross-sections at the surgical tool tip,” The IRAP — Fostering Excellence and Innovation Conference, 12.10.2023, poster

5. K. Karnowski, K. Gromada, T. Piesio, P. Ciąćka, A. Kurek, A. Curatolo “Robotic arm-based surgical tool tracking for real-time display of intraoperative OCT cross-sections at the surgical tool tip,” Conference on Recent Advances in Translational Eye Research, 07.09.2023, poster

6. Karol Karnowski, “On imaging of structure and function

of the human cornea,” Conference on Recent Advances in Translational Eye Research, 08.09.2023, oral presentation

7. Karol Karnowski, Piotr Ciąćka, Andrea Curatolo, „Intraoperative ophthalmic OCT system tracking surgical tools at 200 Hz”, Photonics West, San Francisco, USA, 30.01.2023, oral presentation