3D Capsule Compliant Gripper Based on Shape Optimization for Surgical Manipulation: Enhancing Precision in Lymph Node Isolation

Abstract Compliant grippers hold great promise in improving precision and safety in Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), offering versatile solutions for tissue manipulation while minimizing trauma. A novel focus on a capsule-shaped compliant gripper introduces innovative design methodologies, including shape optimization and consideration of axillary lymph node dimensions. By integrating compliant beams internally and optimizing their shape and size, this gripper offers enhanced precision and adaptability in tissue manipulation, addressing specific challenges in delicate surgical interventions such as lymph node dissection in breast cancer surgery. An isogeometric approach for the analysis of geometrically nonlinear beam structures enables a seamless integration of exact geometry in CAD (Computer-Aided Design) into the analysis framework. It incorporates frictionless beam contact conditions based on a regularized penalty law, which enables an efficient and accurate simulation of the compliant grippers. Optimization results demonstrate the efficacy of the methodology in shape optimizing a set of compliant beams tailored for delicate tissue manipulation. Continued research and refinement of these methodologies are essential for furthering the field of compliant gripper design and their application in medical and surgical contexts.