Autonomous catheter insertion system using magnetic motion capture sensor for endovascular surgery

BACKGROUND: In order to reduce fluoroscope usage in endovascular surgery, there is a need to develop autonomous catheter insertion systems. METHODS: We propose a system for tracking the position and speed of a catheter using a magnetic motion capture sensor to provide feedback to a catheter-driving mechanism, to perform autonomous catheter insertion in major vasculature. Catheter insertion speed control and path reconstruction experiments were performed with the system inside a silicone model of major vasculature to simulate surgery. RESULTS: The system controlled the catheter for speeds of 6.14 mm/s and reproduced a two-dimensional path inside the silicone blood vessel phantom with less than 7 mm of error. CONCLUSIONS: We found that error in speed control rises as a result of friction between the catheter and the model wall. Path reconstruction error depends on the model's cross-sectional diameter, the properties of the catheter insertion mechanism, the magnetic sensor and the system guidance technique.