Edoardo Sinibaldi
Italian Institute of Technology,Italy
Title: Biorobotics and modeling for the Central Nervous System
Biography
Biography: Edoardo Sinibaldi
Abstract
Central Nervous System pathologies are one of the world's leading causes of disability. Despite the availability of advanced interventional techniques, many surgical tasks are still very challenging because of complex anatomical constraints. Moreover, in many cases therapy control in hampered by the lack of a thorough, quantitative understating of the related underlying physical phenomena. Both aspects motivate the development of novel approaches, including the introduction of robotic platforms and tools, and modeling frameworks.
On the robotics side, we will illustrate a platform that encompasses, in particular, a lightweight robot fostering synergistic robot–surgeon integration. We demonstrated its potential for mitigating some risk factors in neurosurgery by addressing a model ventriculostomy, in collaboration with neurosurgeons. At the tool level, we will illustrate a novel design approach that permits to achieve flexible scopes to be deployed over a given trajectory (the whole shaft, not only the tip), thus avoiding undesired/harmful contacts.
On the modeling side, we will address the numerical investigation of intrathecal drug delivery (ITDD) in the cervical subarachnoid space. The growing interest in ITDD is mainly motivated by its potential for bypassing the shielding effect of the blood-brain barrier to macromolecules. However, ITDD is affected by several parameters, many of which are little understood. We will show some recent results (obtained in collaboration with the University of Oslo and the University of Idaho) regarding the effects of catheter placement on ITDD, also encompassing drug transport to the cord.