Continuum robots for endoscopic sinus surgery: Recent advances, challenges, and prospects

Abstract Purpose Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) has been recognized as an effective treatment modality for paranasal sinus diseases. Over the past decade, continuum robots (CRs) for ESS have been studied, but there are still some challenges. This paper presents a review on the scientific studies of CRs for ESS. Methods Based on the analysis of the anatomical structure of the paranasal sinus, the requirements of CRs for ESS are discussed. Recent studies on rigid robots, handheld flexible robots, and CRs for ESS are presented. Surgical path planning, navigation, and control are also included. Results Concentric tube CRs and cable‐driven CRs have great potential for applications in ESS. The CRs incorporated with multiple replaceable arms with different functions are preferable in ESS. Conclusion Further study on navigation and control is required to improve the performance of CRs for ESS.