FEM-based guide wire simulation and interaction for a minimally invasive vascular surgery training system

Minimally invasive vascular surgery is an important surgical procedure which requires specialized skills to manipulate surgical instruments. However, the insufficient conventional training paradigm of “see one, do one, teach one” cannot meet the urgent need for training surgeons. In this paper we present a novel computer-based training system which aims at helping the trainees with acquiring manipulation skills and gaining simulated surgical experience. This system integrates a physics model of guide wire, a 3D vasculature segmented from real patients and a self-designed haptic device. We use the finite element method (FEM) to model the guide wire based on its specific physical parameters. Trainees can advance and rotate the simulated instrument by the haptic device to interact with the human vasculature. The experimental results of delivering the guide wire to the entrance of the coronary in real time validated that the guide wire simulation is effective.