Evaluation of a laparoscopic grasper with force feedback

Background: The clinical implementation of laparoscopic tools with haptic feedback is far from becoming a reality, partly because current tools with force feedback are not configured like conventional surgical instruments. Hence, our goal was to incorporate force sensing into existing laparoscopic tools for use in robot-assisted surgery. Methods: We developed a laparoscopic grasper with force-feedback capability that would help surgeons to differentiate tissue stiffness based on the measured tissue deformation. Results: Surgeons and nonsurgeons alike were able to qualitatively characterize different tissue samples with a high degree of accuracy. The observed force vs deformation characteristic for various tissue samples confirmed the ability of our apparatus to characterize tissues of varying stiffness. Conclusion: This innovative laparoscopic grasper with force-feedback capability enables accurate characterization of tissue deformation and is a promising tool for minimally invasive surgery.