Thiol‐yne Click Polymer Platform for Protecting Steerable Neuroendoscope Tools

Abstract

ABSTRACT Neurosurgical interventions rely increasingly on minimally invasive (MI) approaches, yet most MI surgical tools are rigid and have limited dexterity. Tendon‐actuated continuum robots are an emerging strategy employing a notched body to afford curvilinear motion upon pulling the attached tendon, affording surgeons a “wrist” when placed at the tip of the surgical tool to improve dexterity. However, these gaps leave the internal features of the robot exposed to tissue and body fluid. Existing encapsulation materials exhibit high water vapor permeability and have presented complications in other healthcare devices. Herein, we highlight an alternative water barrier encapsulation material for MI continuum tools. Water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) measurements indicate that a 50% C SS copolymer outperforms some literature reports for PDMS and polyurethanes and exhibits similar barrier performance to polyethylene terephthalate. We fabricated a rudimentary sheath to study the effect of the 50% C SS copolymer on robot actuation with a 3D‐printed, millimeter‐scale bidirectional continuum robot. Changes in material composition, mechanical properties, and hemolytic activity were assessed to further assess the copolymer's suitability as a waterproofing material for MI surgical tools. With further optimization and more robust sheath fabrication, we believe this material could be suited to protecting tendon‐actuated continuum surgical tools.