Morimasa Tomikawa
Kyushu University, Kyushu University Hospital, Kirinyaga University
Papers
18
Total Citations
728
H-Index
11
About
Morimasa Tomikawa is a pioneering surgical robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of minimally invasive surgery and advanced robotic systems. His career spans two decades of contributions to computer-enhanced and robotic-assisted surgery, beginning with landmark early clinical work on the da Vinci surgical system. His 2002 paper documenting early experiences with computer-enhanced general surgery procedures garnered 297 citations, while his 2001 study on thoracoscopic thymomectomy with da Vinci accumulated 150 citations — together establishing him as an early adopter and evaluator of robotic surgical platforms. Tomikawa subsequently turned his attention to one of the field's most demanding frontiers: single-port surgery (SPS) and natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). Recognizing critical limitations in existing robotic systems — including instrument collisions, restricted workspaces, and cumbersome manual vision adjustment — he led the development of innovative robotic manipulators with dynamic vision field control and flexible shaft-driven tools. His scorpion-shaped endoscopic robot with augmented reality capabilities exemplifies his creative engineering approach. He further extended this work to pediatric applications, developing specialized robotic tools for infant esophageal atresia surgery. Collectively, his research has meaningfully advanced the feasibility of next-generation minimally invasive robotic surgery.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2Thoracoscopic thymomectomy with the da Vinci computer-enhanced surgical system150 citations · 2001
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