First Study on Laser Bone Ablation System at the Skull Base for Micro Surgery Based on Vision Navigation

Abstract

As the anatomic structures, for example bone thickness, are different and the destruction of the membrane lining the inner ear can lead to a damage of organ functions, for example deafness or vertigo, the protection of soft tissue structures behind the ablated bone in skull base surgery is mandatory. Consequently, a safer and more accurate Cochlear Implantation technology need to be developed urgently. For the detection of the boundary between soft tissue and bone the laser bone ablation system which was based on the combination of laser, robotics, coaxial monitoring and vision navigation was developed for a micro surgery at the skull base. Through this the laser is guided across the ablation area by vision navigation technologies. In this paper our laser bone ablation system and the first results of the boundary detection are described.