Title: Design of a new stone extraction device with force feedback

Authors: Zahra Najafi; Thomas Tieu; Ajay M. Mahajan; Bradley F. Schwartz

Addresses: Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA ' Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Division of Urology, Springfield, IL, USA ' Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA ' Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Division of Urology, Springfield, IL, USA

Abstract: Ureteroscopic stone extraction devices are effective and ubiquitous tools in the management of urolithiasis. Ureteroscopy, however, has the potential to cause injury to the ureter. Perforation, and on some occasions, avulsion of the ureter as a result of excessive forces on the extraction device are some serious complications of this practice. In this paper, we propose the integration of a force sensor with stone extraction devices. The proposed prototype provides instantaneous force measurements imposed on the ureter wall during the stone removal procedure, and thereby, aids in reducing the risk of ureteral perforations and avulsions by highlighting the safety and hazardous extraction forces. A prototype was built and a bench top test was performed. The results obtained from the bench top tests were consistent with the results reported in previous works in the literature.

Keywords: kidney basket; ureteroscopy; avulsion forces; force feedback; stone extraction; kidney stones; urolithiasis; force sensors; ureter wall; ureteral perforation; extraction forces.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2016.074201

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2016 Vol.20 No.2, pp.166 - 178

Received: 21 Apr 2015
Accepted: 22 Jul 2015

Published online: 16 Jan 2016 *

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