Robotic Surgical Devices, Systems, and Related Methods

Various advancements have been made in the development of miniature in vivo surgical robots. These robots are designed to perform Laparoendo scopic Single-Site Surgery (LESS). After being inserted through a single incision, these robots can perform surgical procedures in a dexterous workspace. Each robot consists of two halves, and each half is inserted individually through a single incision. Each half can be stepped through preset orientations as it is inserted to overcome the obstacle of limited space. Once both halves are inside the abdominal cavity, control rods protruding through the single incision allow for proper alignment. A central mounting rod is then used to mate the halves together and support the robot. The central mounting rod allows for an endoscope to be inserted through the central mounting rod, between each robot half, to provide visual feedback for surgery. The system allows for three-degree-of-freedom motion of the endoscope. Additionally, an onboard camera can be utilized. The cavity is then sealed and insulated to allow for surgery. The central control rod allows for reorientation of the robot into all four quadrants of the abdominal cavity by external rotation of the rod.