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Background An articulated laparoscope comprises a rigid shaft with an articulated distal end to change the viewing direction. The articulation provides improved navigation of the operating field in confined spaces. Furthermore, incorporation of an actuation system tends to enhance the control of an articulated laparoscope. Methods A preliminary prototype of a scope actuation system to maneuver an off-the-shelf articulated laparoscope (EndoCAMaleon by Karl Storz, Germany) was developed. A user study was conducted to evaluate this prototype for the surgical paradigm of video-assisted thoracic surgery. In the study, the subjects maneuvered an articulated scope under two modes of operation: (a) actuated mode where an operating surgeon maneuvers the scope using the developed prototype and (b) manual mode where a surgical assistant directly maneuvers the scope. The actuated mode was further assessed for multiple configurations based on the orientation of the articulated scope at the incision. Results The data show the actuated mode scored better than the manual mode on all the measured performance parameters including (a) total duration to visualize a marked region, (a) duration for which scope focus shifts outside a predefined visualization region, and (c) number of times for which scope focus shifts outside a predefined visualization region. Among the different configurations tested using the actuated mode, no significant difference was observed. Conclusions The proposed articulated scope actuation system facilitates better navigation of an operative field as compared to a human assistant. Secondly, irrespective of the orientation in which an articulated scope’s shaft is inserted through an incision, the proposed actuation system can navigate and visualize the operative field.

Background A variety of human computer interfaces are used by robotic surgical systems to control and actuate camera scopes during minimally invasive surgery. The purpose of this review is to examine the different user interfaces used in both commercial systems and research prototypes. Methods A comprehensive scoping review of scientific literature was conducted using PubMed and IEEE Xplore databases to identify user interfaces used in commercial products and research prototypes of robotic surgical systems and robotic scope holders. Papers related to actuated scopes with human–computer interfaces were included. Several aspects of user interfaces for scope manipulation in commercial and research systems were reviewed. Results Scope assistance was classified into robotic surgical systems (for multiple port, single port, and natural orifice) and robotic scope holders (for rigid, articulated, and flexible endoscopes). Benefits and drawbacks of control by different user interfaces such as foot, hand, voice, head, eye, and tool tracking were outlined. In the review, it was observed that hand control, with its familiarity and intuitiveness, is the most used interface in commercially available systems. Control by foot, head tracking, and tool tracking are increasingly used to address limitations, such as interruptions to surgical workflow, caused by using a hand interface. Conclusion Integrating a combination of different user interfaces for scope manipulation may provide maximum benefit for the surgeons. However, smooth transition between interfaces might pose a challenge while combining controls.

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