Survey on current state-of-the-art in needle insertion robots: Open challenges for application in real surgery

Minimally invasive percutaneous treatment robots have become a popular area in medical robotics. Minimally invasive treatments are an important part of modern surgery; however percutaneous treatments are a difficult procedure for surgeons. They must carry out a procedure that has limited visibility, tool maneuverability and where the target and tissue surrounding it move because of the tool. Robot technology can overcome those limitations and increase the success of minimally invasive percutaneous treatment. In this paper we will present a review of the current state-of-the-art in robotic insertion needle for minimally invasive treatments, focusing on the limitations and challenges still open for their use in clinical application.