An Original Design of Robotic-Assisted Flexible Nasotracheal Intubation System

Abstract

Nasotracheal intubation is a crucial emergency procedure that can improve the survival rate of injured patients. Compared to orotracheal intubation, nasotracheal intubation offers greater stability and comfort. However, due to the large curvature of the cavity, the procedure is highly challenging and requires skilled medical staff, which can be a shortage in emergencies and delay patient rescue. To solve this problem, a flexible and portable robot for nasotracheal intubation has been developed in this paper. The robot incorporates a continuum catheter, allowing the shape of the endotracheal tube’s distal section to be controllable and making it easier to pass through the nasal cavity into the trachea. An endoscope is integrated into the distal section of the catheter to make the intubation process more intuitive, allowing doctors to observe the injuries through endoscopic images and adjust the treatment plan. Additionally, the robot is designed with a quick-detachable structure, enabling aseptic and low-cost intubation procedures. The structure and circuitry of the robot are designed for portability, with a smaller size and lower power consumption, which can work for a long time just powered by batteries. Finally, experiments on a mannequin validate that the robotic system effectively reduces the difficulty of tracheal intubation, enabling even non-medically trained operators to complete the procedure with the assistance of the robot.