OC094: Teleoperated robotic arm for echographic diagnosis in obstetrics and gynecology

Abstract

Many small medical centers, and geographically isolated sites (Amazonia, Africa, Pole.) do not have well trained sonographer to perform the first echography from which the emergency will be evaluated. We developed a robot that allow to tele-operate an echography in an isolated site from an expert centre (university hospital). Both sites are linked by telephone or satellite. At the expert center, the expert moves a fictive probe, connected to a computer (n°1) which sends, the coordinate changes of this probe (Tel—Sat) to the computer (n°2) of the isolated site, which applies them to the robotic arm holding the real echographic probe. 105 patients were investigated with the robot for abdominal problems. In 89% of the cases the robot provided the same diagnostic as the conventional echography on the patient. The system was successfully tested on 30 pregnancies between the University Hospital of Tours and the Hospital of Ceuta (Spanish city north of Morocco). Before 37 w the fetal biometry (abdomen diameter, femur) was performed successfully in all case, but in 85% of the cases only for the BIP after 37 w. Also the placenta structure was qualitatively evaluated as well as the amniotic fluid volume. At last umbilical Doppler was performed in all cases. The mean duration of the examinations was 25 ± 7 min. The delay between the movement on the expert center and the probe movement on the isolated site induced by the satellite was less than 1s. (Work supported by ESA-MAP & Cnes grant).