Magnetic Positioning for Minimally Invasive Surgery
May 19, 2015 | Terry Sharrer
During a laparoscopic gall bladder removal, the surgeon has to move the liver which can be a difficult task. Researchers at Vanderbilt University’s robotic medicine center have developed a magnetic solution for this liver retraction: they insert a small but powerful magnetic device through the laparoscope hole, and then apply another magnet to the patient’s abdomen. These two magnetic field generators, which are much more powerful than the laparoscope’s electric motor, then lift the liver and allow the surgery to proceed unencumbered. MORE
Image Credit: Joe Howell, Vanderbilt University