Feasibility of Robotic Arthroscopy for Cam Femoroacetabular Impingement Excision (FORAGE)

Osteoarthritis of the hip (OA) is one of the most common forms of osteoarthritis in the European population. To date, the reported lifetime risk of developing OA of the hip amounts to 25% and 1 out every 10 individuals will eventually require some form of joint replacement surgery. This project proposes a novel method of HA (Human Arthroscopy) cam excision by using a robotic arm to excise cam lesion in a dry bone and soft tissue Sawbone model. Compared to humans, robotic surgery has the advantages of unmatched accuracy, superior dexterity and lack of fatigue. Within robotics, Franka Emika provides a cost-effective manipulator for prototyping medical robotics solutions for surgery and rehabilitation. With seven degrees of freedom, force feedback in each joint, and high repeatability, this lightweight robot enables prototyping of advanced control algorithms for orthopaedic and minimally invasive surgery. Cost-effectiveness is a major determinant of financial feasibility within a public funded healthcare system. Our approach offers a cost-effective and scalable option for the NHS, since it will be easy to adapt solutions developed on the Franka Emika manipulator to expensive platforms like da Vinci and MAKO but also to other cheaper platforms. The proposed model is a unilateral Sawbon earthroscopy hip model which is normally used for HA training. It includes femur, major hip muscles, labrum with tears, articulate cartilage with erosion and skin. The femur can be custom made with cam lesions and can be replaced in the model.