Upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) treatments frequently employ transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) for procedures such as the removal of tumors or polyps. In TLM, a laser beam is used to cut target tissue, while forceps are employed to grasp, manipulate, and stabilize tissue within the UADT. Although TLM systems may rely on different technologies and interfaces, forceps manipulation is still predominantly performed manually, introducing limitations in ergonomics, precision, and controllability. This paper proposes a novel robotic system for tissue manipulation in UADT procedures, based on a novel end-effector designed for forceps control. The system is integrated within a teleoperation framework that employs a robotic manipulator with a programmed remote center of motion (RCM), enabling precise and constrained instrument motion while improving surgeon ergonomics. The proposed approach is validated through two experimental studies and a dedicated usability evaluation, demonstrating its effectiveness and suitability for UADT surgical applications.

翻译：上呼吸道消化道（UADT）治疗常采用经口激光微手术（TLM）进行肿瘤或息肉切除等操作。在TLM中，激光束用于切割目标组织，而镊子则用于抓取、操纵和稳定UADT内的组织。尽管TLM系统可能依赖不同的技术和接口，镊子操作目前仍主要依赖手动执行，这带来了人机工程学、精度和可控性方面的局限。本文提出了一种用于UADT手术中组织操作的新型机器人系统，其基于一种专为镊子控制设计的新型末端执行器。该系统集成于一个遥操作框架内，该框架采用具有编程远程运动中心（RCM）的机器人操纵器，能够在改善外科医生人机工程学的同时，实现精确且受约束的器械运动。所提出的方法通过两项实验研究和一项专门的可用性评估得到验证，证明了其对于UADT手术应用的有效性和适用性。