Next generation surgical instruments powered by hydraulics

Procedures in minimal invasive surgery are continuously developed further while the instrumentation setup for these operations is still similar to the one used in the early day of laparoscopy. To meet the exigencies of these new techniques a new generation of surgical instruments actuated with a hydraulic force transmission was developed. First, it was possible to show the usability of hydraulic systems in medical applications. Second, different hydraulic actuated instruments were built. These instruments allow, due to minimal handling losses a very precise direct handling control. In addition they enable complete new types of instruments like automated instrument exchange systems or flexible instruments with multi degrees of freedom at their tip.