Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39520631›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery2025

MINARO DRS: usability study of a robotic-assisted laminectomy.

Manuel Vossel, Lukas Theisgen, Noah Wickel, Lovis Phlippen, Rastislav Pjontek, Sergey Drobinsky, Hans Clusmann, Klaus Radermacher, Christian Blume, Matías de la Fuente

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in International journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Manuel VosselChair of Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5927-0724
Lukas TheisgenChair of Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
Noah WickelChair of Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
Lovis PhlippenChair of Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
Rastislav PjontekNeurosurgery Clinic, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
Sergey DrobinskyChair of Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9616-8673
Hans ClusmannNeurosurgery Clinic, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8258-9346
Klaus RadermacherChair of Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4395-3197
Christian Blume *Neurosurgery Clinic, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
Matías de la Fuente *Chair of Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany. fuente@hia.rwth-aachen.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7911-155X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAlthough the literature shows that robotic assistance can support the surgeon, robotic systems are not widely spread in clinics. They often incorporate large robotic arms adopted from the manufacturing industry, imposing safety hazards when in contact with the patient or surgical staff. We approached this limitation with a modular dual robot consisting of an ultra-lightweight carrier robot for rough prepositioning and small, highly dynamic, application-specific, interchangeable tooling robots.

methodsA formative usability study with N = 10 neurosurgeons was conducted using a prototype of a novel tooling robot for laminectomy to evaluate the system's usability. The participants were asked to perform three experiments using the robotic system: (1) prepositioning with the carrier robot and milling into (2) a block phantom as well as (3) a spine model.

resultsAll neurosurgeons could perform a simulated laminectomy on a spine phantom using the robotic system. On average, they rated the usability of this first prototype already between good and excellent (SUS-Score above 75%). Eight out of the ten participants preferred robotic-assisted milling over manual milling. For prepositioning, the developed haptic guidance showed significantly higher effectiveness and efficiency than visual navigation.

conclusionThe proposed dual robot system showed the potential to increase safety in the operating room because of the synergistic hands-on control and the ultra-lightweight design of the carrier robot. The modular design allows for easy adaptation to various surgical procedures. However, improvements are needed in the ergonomics of the tooling robot and the complexity of the virtual fixtures. The cooperative dual robot system can subsequently be tested in a cadaver laboratory and in vivo on animals.

Indexed as

LaminectomyRobotic Surgical ProceduresEquipment DesignFemaleHumansMalePhantoms, ImagingCooperativeHands-onLaminectomyNeurosurgeryRobotRobotic-assistedSpine surgerySynergisticUsability study

Identifiers

PMID39520631
PMCPMC11807922

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.