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X-APPLE-TRAVEL-ADVISORY-BEHAVIOR:AUTOMATIC
UID:161486
DTSTAMP:20240405T141820Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240412T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240412T120000
URL;TYPE=URI:https://www.wpi.edu/news/calendar/events/rbe-phd-dissertation-
 defense-alex-chiluisa
SUMMARY:RBE PhD Dissertation Defense - Alex Chiluisa
DESCRIPTION:New Miniaturized Wristed Instruments for In-Office Endoscopic L
 aser Surgery\n\n\n\n      \n      \n\n\n\nAbstract: Endoscopic laser surge
 ry is emerging as a promising alternative for the treatment of various pat
 hological conditions that affect the vocal folds. Compared to traditional 
 laryngeal surgery, which requires general anesthesia and hospitalization, 
 in-office surgery is faster, less expensive, and it can be performed witho
 ut general anesthesia.  Despite their documented benefits, in-office laryn
 geal procedures are still underutilized because of how challenging they ca
 n be to perform with available instrumentation. Clinically available instr
 uments (endoscopes and optical fibers) present limited dexterity, which in
  turn greatly limits surgical access.  This dissertation introduces a comp
 rehensive analysis, conceptualization, and implementation of a steerable o
 ptical fiber to address these challenges, aiming to enhance surgical preci
 sion and extend reach to previously inaccessible regions within the human 
 larynx. First, we establish a simulation framework to identify currently i
 naccessible regions within the larynx during endoscopic laser surgeries. T
 his framework utilizes three-dimensional models of the human larynx genera
 ted from microtomography x-ray scans and formulates the kinematic characte
 rization of the endoscope. Then, we introduce a steerable optical fiber to
  amplify physicians reach within the larynx. This work involves designing 
 and modeling a steerable sheath utilizing an asymmetric notch pattern, whi
 ch provides three independent degrees of freedom (DoF) for precise laser a
 iming. A control mechanism is also developed to enable single-handed opera
 tion of the steerable fiber, minimizing alterations to the clinical settin
 g for in-office laser surgery. Experimental results demonstrate that the p
 roposed device substantially enhances surgical access compared to current 
 clinical fibers.  The presentation concludes by discussing future avenues 
 of research, including further clinical validation, refinement of control 
 mechanisms, and potential integration of advanced imaging techniques.\n
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