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Toward high-speed 3D nonlinear soft tissue deformation simulations using Abaqus software

Journal of Robotic Surgery volume 9, pages 299–310 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

We aim to achieve a fast and accurate three-dimensional (3D) simulation of a porcine liver deformation under a surgical tool pressure using the commercial finite element software Abaqus. The liver geometry is obtained using magnetic resonance imaging, and a nonlinear constitutive law is employed to capture large deformations of the tissue. Effects of implicit versus explicit analysis schemes, element type, and mesh density on computation time are studied. We find that Abaqus explicit and implicit solvers are capable of simulating nonlinear soft tissue deformations accurately using first-order tetrahedral elements in a relatively short time by optimizing the element size. This study provides new insights and guidance on accurate and relatively fast nonlinear soft tissue simulations. Such simulations can provide force feedback during robotic surgery and allow visualization of tissue deformations for surgery planning and training of surgical residents.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge help of research scientist Ryan Larsen for performing liver MRI scanning at the Beckman Institute at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We would also like to thank Dr. Richard H. Pearl from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL, and Dr. T. “Kesh” Kesavadas from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for helpful discussions.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 205 North Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA

    Ashraf Idkaidek

  2. Departments of Mechanical Science and Engineering and Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Green Street, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA

    Iwona Jasiuk

Authors
  1. Ashraf Idkaidek
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  2. Iwona Jasiuk
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Iwona Jasiuk.

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Authors AI and IJ declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Research Involving Human Participants/Animals

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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Electronic supplementary material

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 3 and Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

Table 3 Simulation time and convergence comparison (For mesh density information, please see Tables 1 and 2)
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Fig. 5
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Liver deformation and Mises stress contours at 1.5 mm vertical displacement due to surgical tool (knife) pressure

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Fig. 6
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Liver deformation and Mises stress contours at 2.5 mm vertical displacement due to surgical tool pressure

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Fig. 7
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Liver deformation and Mises stress contours at 3.5 mm vertical displacement due to surgical tool pressure

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Fig. 8
figure 8

Liver deformation and Mises stress contours at 5.0 mm vertical displacement due to surgical tool pressure

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Fig. 9
figure 9

Liver deformation and Mises stress contours at 6.0 mm vertical displacement due to surgical tool pressure

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Fig. 10
figure 10

Liver deformation and Mises stress contours at 7.0 mm vertical displacement due to surgical tool pressure

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Fig. 11
figure 11

Liver deformation and Mises stress contours at 9.0 mm vertical displacement due to surgical tool pressure

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Fig. 12
figure 12

Liver deformation and Mises stress contours at 10.0 mm vertical displacement due to surgical tool pressure

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Liver response under surgical tool (knife) pressure animation video is available as supplementary material.

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Idkaidek, A., Jasiuk, I. Toward high-speed 3D nonlinear soft tissue deformation simulations using Abaqus software. J Robotic Surg 9, 299–310 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11701-015-0531-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11701-015-0531-2

Keywords

  • Computational surgery
  • Nonlinear constitutive model
  • Numerical simulations
  • Mathematical models
  • Robotics