Fundamental Study on Medical Tactile Sensor Composed of Organic Ferroelectrics

In the present study, we investigated the piezoelectric properties of organic ferroelectrics for use in medical tactile sensor applications, especially for intravascular surgery, by means of both experimental analyses and mathematical simulations. First, we measured the piezoelectric properties of the organic ferroelectrics. Second, we investigated the palpation in vivo by the tactile sensor composed of organic ferroelectrics using a computer-based surgical simulator to simulate a catheter and a guide wire in blood vessels for treatment of the brain which we have previously developed. We used the experimental results for the simulation parameters. Our catheter and guide wire simulator shows that when the mechanical properties of the blood vessel was changed partially assuming that these changes occur by a disease, the sensor outputs changed. The findings obtained confirm the feasibility of this sensor for improving catheter manipulation and palpation of living tissue.