A Magnetically actuated guide-wire steering system towards arteriovenous fistula angioplasty procedures

Working towards remote steering of distal guide-wire in arteriovenous fistula angioplasty procedures, we develop a magnetically actuated robotic guide-wire manipulation system involving electromagnetic coils and a flexible guide-wire with a magneto-responsive attachment. By varying the coil voltages, we show the controlled deflections of the distal guide-wire. Specifically we are investigating the guidewire actuation mechanism under controlled electromagnetic field, the transfer function of the system, and the steering experiments in a custom phantom. The studied phenomenon has importance for guide-wire placement in minimally invasive cardio-vascular surgeries. A video demonstration is available at: http://bioeng.nus.edu.sg/mm/magnetically-actuated-guide-wire-steering.