“Smart Suture” Is A Chinese Technology To Compensate For The Loss Of Manual Sensation In Robotic Surgery

Xinhua quoted one of the developers, Li Tiffin, as saying: “Doctors who practice robotic surgery lose manual sensation. Our technology relies on a mechanical knot that unties when a certain pressure level is reached, which prevents the robot from continuing the surgical procedure.”

The technology does not require electronic sensors, as the sliding knot is calibrated to separate at the optimum pressure. The video system records the moment the knot is loosened and the robotic arm stops immediately.

Tests showed an operating accuracy of 95.4%, while the quality of stitches among novice surgeons improved by 121%, approaching the rates of experienced doctors. The researchers also noted that wound healing accelerated during the experiments by two days thanks to the ideal tensile strength that did not impede blood flow.

The developers launched an automated production line for surgical sutures, and the main advantage of this method lies in its low cost and suitability for use in field medicine, as it does not depend on complex algorithms or electricity.

Source: TASS