Prototype development of a hand-held steerable tool for hip arthroscopy

Instruments used in hip arthroscopy are designed to navigate to a target within the hip joint capsule and actuate repairs using various tools. Traditional arthroscopy instruments feature rigid shafts with no ability to adjust the curvature of the arm or reorient the approach vector of the tool within the joint capsule. To overcome these limitations, this paper has proposed a novel robotized hand-held instrument for hip arthroscopy based on a tendon-driven continuum manipulator segment and pivot joint in series, with arm parameters based on the anatomical dimensions of the joint capsule. An intuitive control system is implemented to assist in surgeons' operations. Preliminary evaluations were made based on the prototype and workspace reachability demonstrating the feasibility of the design.