Catheters used for endovascular navigation in interventional procedures lack dexterity at the distal tip. Neurointerventionists, in particular, encounter challenges in up to 25% of aneurysm cases largely due to the inability to steer and navigate the tip of the microcatheters through tortuous vasculature to access aneurysms. We overcome this problem with submillimeter diameter, hydraulically actuated hyperelastic polymer devices at the distal tip of microcatheters to enable active steerability. Controlled by hand, the devices offer complete 3D orientation of the tip. Using saline as a working fluid, we demonstrate guidewire-free navigation, access, and coil deployment in vivo, offering safety, ease of use, and design flexibility absent in other approaches to endovascular intervention. We demonstrate the ability of our device to navigate through vessels and to deliver embolization coils to the cerebral vessels in a live porcine model. This indicates the potential for microhydraulic soft robotics to solve difficult access and treatment problems in endovascular intervention.

在介入手术中用于血管内导航的导管在远端尖端缺乏灵巧性。尤其是神经介入医师，在多达 25% 的动脉瘤病例中遇到了挑战，这主要是由于无法引导和引导微导管尖端通过曲折的脉管系统进入动脉瘤。我们在微导管的远端使用亚毫米直径、液压驱动的超弹性聚合物装置来克服这个问题，以实现主动操纵。这些设备由手控制，提供尖端的完整 3D 方向。使用盐水作为工作液，我们展示了体内无导丝导航、通路和线圈部署，提供其他血管内介入方法所没有的安全性、易用性和设计灵活性。我们展示了我们的设备在活猪模型中导航通过血管并将栓塞线圈输送到脑血管的能力。这表明微液压软机器人技术有潜力解决血管内介入治疗中难以进入和治疗的问题。