Soft Robotic Delivery of Coiled Anchors for Cardiac Interventions

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel soft robotic platform designed for precise delivery of anchor coils during minimally invasive cardiac procedures, improving dexterity and force application over existing catheter-based systems.

Contribution

Introduction of a robotic platform with a kineto-statics model and high-force, compliant actuation for accurate intracardiac anchor deployment.

Findings

Achieved millimeter-level positional accuracy in vitro.

Demonstrated effective multi-anchor delivery in a simulated beating heart.

Validated low positional error with the developed model.

Abstract

Trans-catheter cardiac intervention has become an increasingly available option for high-risk patients without the complications of open heart surgery. However, current catheterbased platforms suffer from a lack of dexterity, force application, and compliance required to perform complex intracardiac procedures. An exemplary task that would significantly ease minimally invasive intracardiac procedures is the implantation of anchor coils, which can be used to fix and implant various devices in the beating heart. We introduce a robotic platform capable of delivering anchor coils. We develop a kineto-statics model of the robotic platform and demonstrate low positional error. We leverage the passive compliance and high force output of the actuator in a multi-anchor delivery procedure against a motile in-vitro simulator with millimeter level accuracy.