Towards solving path planning in keyhole neurosurgery with answer set programming

Keyhole neurosurgery is one of the most hazardous procedures, due to the complexity of the brain environment and the high density of vital structures. Complying with the kinematic constraints of the probe selected to perform the procedure and of the preferences dictated by surgeons' experience are essential to find the safest path to the surgical target. This work presents and optimisation and classification strategy for neurosurgical interventions. The framework relies on Answer Set Programming to translate the requirements and the expert's knowledge into the objectives of the optimisation procedure. The semantics of Answer Set Programming grants extensive flexibility, as it allows to easily change the requirements to optimise and their priority based on the specific needs of the clinical case.