Prostate biopsies assisted by comanipulated probe-holder: first in man.

Purpose: A comanipulator for assisting endorectal prostate biopsies is evaluated through a first-in-man clinical trial. This lightweight system, based on conventional robotic components, possesses six degrees of freedom. It uses three electric motors and three brakes. It features a free mode, where its low friction and inertia allow for natural manipulation of the probe and a locked mode, exhibiting both a very low stiffness and a high steady-state precision.

Methods: Clinical trials focusing on the free mode and the locked mode of the robot are presented. The objective was to evaluate the practical usability and performance of the robot during clinical procedures. A research protocol for a prospective randomized clinical trial has been designed. Its specific goal was to compare the accuracy of biopsies performed with and without the assistance of the comanipulator.

Results: The accuracy is compared between biopsies performed with and without the assistance of the comanipulator, across the 10 first patients included in the trial. Results show a statistically significant increase in the precision.