A system and method for positioning a tool relative to a patient's bone to facilitate the performance of a surgical bone alteration task. The system comprises a bone immobilization device for supporting the bone in a fixed position with respect to a reference structure, and a robot that includes a base fixed in position with respect to the reference structure. The robot also includes a mounting member, and a manipulator connected between the base and the mounting member and permitting relative movement therebetween. The tool to be positioned by the system is mounted to the mounting member. The mounting member is caused to move relative to the reference structure in response to movement commands, so that the tool can be moved to a desired task position to facilitate performance of the task. The system preferably also includes a template attachable to the mounting member, a feature of the template representing a portion of a task. Preferably, the template is secured to the mounting member, and the template is then manually manipulated such that the template feature is properly oriented with respect to the patient's bone. The template position is then recorded as a reference position that may thereafter be combined with a geometric database defining the task to determine the position of the tool. Particular embodiments for a bone immobilizer, a template and a saw guide are also described, together with a stabilizing device for the robot and a safety device for the robot base.
The instrumentation is used by orthopaedic surgeons for accurate and rapid placement of distal locking screws in intramedullary nails. A probe inserted into the intramedullary nail positions two electromagnetic drive coils with their magnetic axes parallel to and at a fixed offset from the axis of a transverse hole to be drilled. The drive coils generate alternating magnetic fields over intermittent and non-overlapping time intervals in a manner that provides independent sources of positional information. A hand-held guide, containing a drill bushing and four receiving coils with the same offset as the drive coils, when moved about in the vicinity of the probe, produces a corresponding movement of graphical images on a display screen. The graphical images provide intuitive information as to how the guide must be moved to accurately align the drill bushing with the axis of the transverse hole. With the aid of continuous visual information on the display screen, the surgeon holds the guide and bushing in proper position while making a stab incision to the bone, while drilling or driving a trocar through the near and far cortices of the bone, and while inserting and fastening the locking screw. The intrumentation enables distal targeting by surgeons without specialized training or experience and eliminates the need for C-arm x-ray machines that increase operating room costs and increase the risk of radiation exposure to the patient and the surgeon.
An osteotomy resection procedure for removing a wedge from a bone utilizing a localization device. The localization device being used to track reference points associated with the bone, track surgical instruments, perform calculations to determine a resection angle for the wedge, and assist a surgeon in performing the procedure.
A robotic surgical system (10) includes a multiple degree of freedom manipulator arm (14) having a surgical tool (22). The arm is coupled to a controller (24) for controllably positioning the surgical tool within a three dimensional coordinate system. The system further includes a safety monitoring processor (38) for determining the position of the surgical tool in the three dimensional coordinate system relative to a volumetric model. The volumetric model may be represented as a constructive solid geometry (CSG) tree data structure. The system further includes an optical tracking camera system (28, 32) disposed for imaging a region of space that includes at least a portion of the manipulator arm. An output of the camera system is coupled to the processor (38) that processes the volumetric model for determining if the surgical tool is positioned outside of the volumetric model. The system further includes a strain gage (40) for detecting slippage in three dimensions between an immobilized tissue, such as bone, and a reference point (44). The system also includes multiple and redundant safety features for suspending a motion of the surgical tool to prevent the tool from operating outside of the predetermined volume of space.
A robotic surgical system includes a multiple degree of freedom manipulator arm having a surgical tool. The arm is coupled to a controller for controllably positioning the surgical tool within a three dimensional coordinate system. The system further includes a safety monitoring processor for determining the position of the surgical tool in the three dimensional coordinate system relative to a volumetric model. The volumetric model may be represented as a constructive solid geometry (CSG) tree data structure. The system further includes an optical tracking camera system disposed for imaging a region of space that includes at least a portion of the manipulator arm. An output of the camera system is coupled to the processor that processes the volumetric model for determining if the surgical tool is positioned outside of the volumetric model. The system further includes a strain gage for detecting slippage in three dimensions between an immobilized tissue, such as bone, and a reference point. The system also includes multiple and redundant safety features for suspending a motion of the surgical tool to prevent the tool from operating outside of the predetermined volume of space.
A plurality of arms are successively connected to a fixed arm so that the free end of the connected arms is movable three-dimensionally, a direct-access endoscope is attached to the three-dimensionally movable free end of the arms, and angle sensors are provided in the individual arm joints. Changes in angles between the individual arms due to the movement of the front end of the direct-access endoscope are sensed by the angle sensors, and the size and position of the object are numerically determined according to the changes.
