New instrument simplifies surgery

The vulcanized instrument handle has been designed so that surgical tools – such as screwdrivers or spreaders – can be screwed into it, making surgeries easier to conduct.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart developed the device in collaboration with Weber Instrumente.

They claim that by integrating electronic components, the surgeon is given feedback during the procedure, advising if an instrument can be inserted even further.

For example, if the surgeon tightens a screw, then the sensors measure the applied force. Once the optimal torsional moment is reached, LEDs report this through an optical signal.

This signal can be seen through the transparent silicon sections of the handle.

‘It is primarily the young, less experienced surgeons with little surgical practice who benefit the most from this technology,’ said Christof Giers, a scientist at IPA.

The necessary power is supplied and stored via an inductive charging process or a coil system.