Optimal Needle Diameter, Shape, and Path in Autonomous Suturing

Needle shape, diameter, and path are critical parameters that directly affect suture depth and tissue trauma in autonomous suturing. This paper presents an optimization-based approach to specify these parameters. Given clinical suturing guidelines, a kinematic model of needle-tissue interaction was developed to quantify suture parameters and constraints. The model was further used to formulate constant curvature needle path planning as a nonlinear optimization problem. The optimization results were confirmed experimentally with the Raven II surgical system. The proposed needle path planning algorithm guarantees minimal tissue trauma and complies with a wide range of suturing requirements.