Systems and methods for dynamic collision avoidance in robotic procedures

Abstract

A system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor, enable the processor to: determine a movement of a surgical guide; determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide, that an interference is created between a surgical tool and the surgical guide after the movement of the surgical guide; and provide a recommended adjustment to at least one of a trajectory of the surgical tool and a pose of the surgical guide to address the interference between the surgical tool and the surgical guide.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DYNAMIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE IN ROBOTICPROCEDURESCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 665,160, filed 27 June 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND

[0002] The present disclosure is generally directed to surgical navigation, and relates more particularly to navigation of surgical robots.

[0003] Surgical robots may assist a surgeon or other medical provider in carrying out a surgical procedure, or may complete one or more surgical procedures autonomously. Imaging may be used by a medical provider for diagnostic and / or therapeutic purposes. Patient anatomy can change over time, particularly following placement of a medical implant in the patient anatomy.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] Example aspects of the present disclosure include:

[0005] A system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor, enable the processor to: determine a movement of a surgical guide; determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide, that an interference is created between a surgical tool and the surgical guide after the movement of the surgical guide; and provide a recommended adjustment to at least one of a trajectory of the surgical tool and a pose of the surgical guide to address the interference between the surgical tool and the surgical guide.

[0006] Any of the aspects herein, further comprising: a tracker positioned proximate an anatomical element, wherein the movement of the surgical guide is determined at least partially based on a movement of the tracker.

[0007] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the tracker comprises at least one of an optical tracker and an electromagnetic tracker.

[0008] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the surgical guide comprises at least one of a cylindrical tube, a tubular retractor, and a non-tubular retractor.

[0009] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the data, when processed by the processor, further enable the processor to: determine a movement of an anatomical element.

[0010] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the data, when processed by the processor, further enable the processor to: determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide, a new pose of the surgical guide.

[0011] Any of the aspects herein, wherein information associated with the recommended adjustment is rendered to a display.

[0012] A system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor, enable the processor to: determine a movement of a surgical guide; determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide, a new pose of the surgical guide; update, based on the new pose of the surgical guide, a trajectory associated with a surgical tool that interacts with the surgical guide; and cause the surgical tool to move in accordance with the trajectory.

[0013] Any of the aspects herein, further comprising: a tracker positioned proximate an anatomical element, wherein the movement of the surgical guide is determined at least partially based on a position of the tracker.

[0014] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the tracker comprises at least one of an optical tracker and an electromagnetic tracker.

[0015] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the surgical guide comprises at least one of a cylindrical tube, a tubular retractor, and a non-tubular retractor.

[0016] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the data, when processed by the processor, further enable the processor to: determine a movement of an anatomical element.

[0017] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the data, when processed by the processor, further enable the processor to: determine, based on the new pose of the surgical guide, a probability that the surgical tool will interfere with the surgical guide when the surgical tool enters the surgical guide.

[0018] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the data, when processed by the processor, further enable the processor to: render, to a display, information about the new pose of the surgical guide.

[0019] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the information about the new pose of the surgical guide includes a recommended adjustment of the surgical guide to account for the movement of the surgical guide.

[0020] A system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a surgical guide; a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor, enable the processor to: determine, based on tracking the surgical guide, a movement of the surgical guide; determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide, a new pose of the surgical guide; determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide, a probability that a surgical tool will interfere with the surgical guide when the surgical guide is in the new pose; and provide a recommended adjustment to at least one of a trajectory of the surgical tool and a pose of the surgical guide to reduce the probability that the surgical tool will interfere with the surgical guide.

[0021] Any of the aspects herein, further comprising: a tracker positioned proximate an anatomical element, wherein the movement of the surgical guide is determined at least partially based on a movement of the tracker.

[0022] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the tracker comprises at least one of an optical tracker and an electromagnetic tracker.

[0023] Any of the aspects herein, wherein the surgical guide comprises at least one of a cylindrical tube, a tubular retractor, and a non-tubular retractor.

[0024] Any of the aspects herein, wherein information associated with the recommended adjustment is rendered to a display.

[0025] Any aspect in combination with any one or more other aspects.

[0026] Any one or more of the features disclosed herein.

[0027] Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein.

[0028] Any one or more of the features as substantially disclosed herein in combination with any one or more other features as substantially disclosed herein.

[0029] Any one of the aspects / features / embodiments in combination with any one or more other aspects / features / embodiments.

[0030] Use of any one or more of the aspects or features as disclosed herein.

[0031] It is to be appreciated that any feature described herein can be claimed in combination with any other feature(s) as described herein, regardless of whether the features come from the same described embodiment.

[0032] The details of one or more aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the techniquesdescribed in this disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

[0033] The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and / or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and / or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as XI -Xn, Yl-Ym, and Zl- Zo, the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., XI and X2) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y 1 and Zo).

[0034] The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.

[0035] The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide an understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the disclosure and its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.

[0036] Numerous additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the embodiment descriptions provided hereinbelow.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present disclosure. These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings simply illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how the disclosure can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure to only the illustrated and described examples. Further features and advantages willbecome apparent from the following, more detailed, description of the various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure, as illustrated by the drawings referenced below.

[0038] Fig. 1A is a block diagram of aspects of a system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Fig. IB is a block diagram of aspects of a memory according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram of aspects of the system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a surgical guide according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] Fig. 4 is a conceptual diagram of the surgical guide in a surgical environment according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Fig. 5 is a flowchart according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0044] Fig. 6 is a flowchart according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] It should be understood that various aspects disclosed herein may be combined in different combinations than the combinations specifically presented in the description and accompanying drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example or embodiment, certain acts or events of any of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in a different sequence, and / or may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., all described acts or events may not be necessary to carry out the disclosed techniques according to different embodiments of the present disclosure). In addition, while certain aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single module or unit for purposes of clarity, it should be understood that the techniques of this disclosure may be performed by a combination of units or modules associated with, for example, a computing device and / or a medical device.

[0046] Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or“having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Further, the present disclosure may use examples to illustrate one or more aspects thereof. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the use or listing of one or more examples (which may be denoted by “for example,” “by way of example,” “e.g.,” “such as,” or similar language) is not intended to and does not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] In robotic minimally invasive surgeries (MIS) performed via a tubular retractor, a robot or surgical tool is navigated along a trajectory inside the tubular retractor based on, for example, the planned position of the tubular retractor and the anatomy position during registration. Anatomy movement may be detected by an optical marker positioned on the anatomy prior to registration. Based on the movement of the optical tracker (and by extension movement of the anatomy), one or more robotic trajectories may be adjusted. When there is movement of the tubular retractor, the optical marker may not capture this movement, leading to possible interference (e.g., collisions) between the tubular retractor and the robot. The interference between the tubular retractor and the robot may disrupt the operation and / or harm the patient.

[0048] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular retractor is tracked by a navigation system such that the position of the tubular retractor can be determined in a coordinate system associated with the robot. Such position tracking may enable detection of potential interference or collision. Additionally or alternatively, the new position of the tubular retractor may be calculated based on detected movement of patient anatomy, and recommended adjustments to the tubular retractor position may be provided.

[0049] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide technical solutions to one or more of the problems of (1) interference or collision between navigated tools and a surgical guide and (2) potential harm to a patient during a navigated surgery or surgical procedure.

[0050] Turning first to Figs. 1A-1B, block diagrams of aspects of a system 100 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. The system 100 may be used to detect a movement of a surgical guide and provide a recommended adjustment to the pose of the surgical guide and / or a trajectory of a surgical tool to account for the movement of the surgical guide; to control, pose, and / or otherwise manipulate a surgical mount system, a surgical arm, and / or surgical tools attached thereto; and / or carry out one or more other aspects of one or more of the methods disclosed herein. The system 100 shown in Figs. 1A-1B comprises a computing device 102, one or more imaging devices 120, a robot 124, a navigation system 128, a database 140, and / or a cloud orother network 144. Systems according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the system 100. For example, the system 100 may not include the imaging device 120, one or more components of the computing device 102, the database 140, and / or the cloud 144.

[0051] The computing device 102 comprises a processor 104, a memory 108, a communication interface 112, and a user interface 116. Computing devices according to other embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise more or fewer components than the computing device 102.

[0052] The processor 104 may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 108, which instructions may cause the processor 104 to carry out one or more computing steps utilizing or based on data received from the imaging device 120, the robot 124, the navigation system 128, the database 140, the cloud 144, and / or any other component. The processor 104 may be or comprise one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general purpose microprocessors (e.g., Intel Core i3, i5, i7, or i9 processors; Intel Celeron processors; Intel Xeon processors; Intel Pentium processors; AMD Ryzen processors; AMD Athlon processors; AMD Phenom processors; Apple A10 or 10X Fusion processors; Apple Al l, A12, A12X, A12Z, or A13 Bionic processors; or any other general purpose microprocessors), graphics processing units (e.g., Nvidia GeForce RTX 2000-series processors, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000-series processors, AMD Radeon RX 5000- series processors, AMD Radeon RX 6000-series processors, or any other graphics processing units), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry. Accordingly, the term “processor” as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structure or any other physical structure suitable for implementation of the described techniques. Also, the techniques could be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements.

[0053] The memory 108 may be or comprise RAM, DRAM, SDRAM, other solid-state memory, any memory described herein, or any other tangible, non-transitory memory for storing computer- readable data and / or instructions. The memory 108 may comprise image processing 148, segmentation 152, transformation 156, registration 160, and / or one or more trajectory algorithms 164. The memory 108 may store information or data useful for completing, for example, any step of the methods 500 and / or 600 described herein, or of any other methods. The memory 108 may store, for example, instructions and / or machine learning models that support one or more functions of the robot 124. For instance, the memory 108 may store content (e.g., instructions and / or machinelearning models) that, when executed by the processor 104, enable the image processing 148, the segmentation 152, the transformation 156, and / or the registration 160. Such content, if provided as in instruction, may, in some embodiments, be organized into one or more applications, modules, packages, layers, or engines. Alternatively or additionally, the memory 108 may store other types of content or data (e.g., machine learning models, artificial neural networks, deep neural networks, etc.) that can be processed by the processor 104 to carry out the various methods and features described herein. Thus, although various contents of memory 108 may be described as instructions, it should be appreciated that functionality described herein can be achieved through use of instructions, algorithms, and / or machine learning models. The data, algorithms, and / or instructions may cause the processor 104 to manipulate data stored in the memory 108 and / or received from or via the imaging device 120, the robot 124, the navigation system 128, the database 140, the cloud 144, and / or other components.

[0054] The image processing 148 enables the processor 104 to process image data of an image (received from, for example, the imaging device 120 or any other imaging device) for the purpose of, for example, identifying information about the patient and / or an object (e.g., a surgical tool, an implant, etc.) depicted in the image. “Image data” as used herein refers to the data generated or captured by the imaging device 120, including in a machine-readable form, a graphical / visual form, and in any other form. The information about the patient and / or the object may comprise, for example, a pose of the patient, a pose of an object (e.g., a surgical tool, an implant, etc.), a boundary of reference marks(s) proximate the patient, combinations thereof, and / or the like. In some cases, the image processing 148 may use one or more algorithms to enhance the appearance of the initial image data captured by the imaging device 120 (e.g., artifact removal algorithms, contrast enhancement algorithms, etc.).

[0055] The information obtained from the image processing 148 may enable, for example, determining of the pose of the patient, the pose of reference markers (e.g., optical markers, navigation markers 208-208N, etc.) proximate the patient, combinations thereof, and / or the like. The information may also enable registration of the patient to a common coordinate frame of the imaging device 120, and / or registration of the elements depicted in the image data to the common coordinate frame of the imaging device 120. The image processing 148 may be used in conjunction with segmentation 152 to identify anatomical features of the patient and / or of one or more objects, as discussed below.

[0056] The segmentation 152 enables the processor 104 to segment image data so as to identify anatomical features of the patient (and / or anatomical features thereof) and / or one or more objects depicted in the image data such as, for example, a surgical tool, implanted medical devices, combinations thereof, and / or the like. The segmentation 152 may enable the processor 104 to identify a boundary of an object or an anatomical feature of the patient using, for example, feature recognition. For example, the segmentation 152 may enable the processor 104 to identify, in the image data, one or more vertebrae of the patient and / or one or more objects (e.g., surgical screws) implanted in the vertebrae of the patient. In other examples, the segmentation 152 may enable the processor 104 to identify a boundary of an object (e.g., a boundary of a vertebra, a boundary of a surgical screw, etc.) by determining a difference in or contrast between colors or grayscale values of image pixels.

[0057] The transformation 156 enables the processor 104 to generate transformations that map coordinates in one coordinate system into another coordinate system. In other words, the transformation 156 enables the processor 104 to transform coordinates associated with an object in the surgical environment (e.g., the robot 124, a portion of patient anatomy, etc.) from a first coordinate system (e.g., a patient coordinate system) into a second coordinate system (e.g., a reference frame coordinate system) based on, for example, the registration of the first coordinate system and a third coordinate system (e.g., an imaging device coordinate system) and the registration of the third coordinate system and the first coordinate system.

[0058] The registration 160 enables the processor 104 to correlate one coordinate system with another coordinate system. For example, the registration 160 may enable the processor 104 to correlate or map a first coordinate system (e.g., a patient coordinate system) with a second coordinate system (e.g., an imaging device coordinate system) using localization (e.g., optical localization, electromagnetic localization, etc.). The registration 160 may, for example, comprise an algorithm that receives a set of 3D points of optical and / or electromagnetic markers in the second coordinate system and information about the position of one or more localizers in the first coordinate system and the second coordinate system to generate a correlation or map between the two coordinate systems.

[0059] The trajectory algorithm 164 may enable the processor to determine whether or not there is interference between one or more objects in a surgical environment. For example, the trajectory algorithm 164 may receive as input one or more implant trajectories of one or more implants to beinserted by the robot 124 (or more specifically, the robotic arm 126) as well as pose information associated with a surgical guide through which the robotic arm 126 will move, and output information about whether there is an interference between the surgical guide and the robot 124, the robotic arm 126, a surgical tool connected to the robotic arm 126, and / or the one or more implants. The information produced by the trajectory algorithm 164 may comprise a probability value reflecting the likelihood of collision between the robotic arm 126 or other component (e.g., an operative portion of a surgical tool connected to the robotic arm 126) and the surgical guide based on the pose of the surgical guide and the planned implant trajectory followed by the robotic arm 126. Additionally or alternatively, the output information may comprise a binary value (e.g., a 0 or a 1) reflecting whether or not a distance between the planned trajectory of the robotic arm 126 and the pose of the surgical guide meets or falls below a threshold distance value. An output comprising a zero, for example, may indicate that the robotic arm 126 will be within a threshold distance of the surgical guide when moving therethrough, which threshold distance may reflect the system’s tolerance level. In other words, an output comprising a zero may indicate that the robotic arm 126 will collide with or pass too closely to the surgical guide. On the other hand, an output comprising a one may indicate that there is sufficient distance between the robotic arm 126 and the surgical guide such that no correction is required.

[0060] In some cases, the trajectory algorithm 164 may also provide a recommended adjustment to address the determined interference, such as an adjustment to the pose of the surgical guide to reduce the likelihood that the robotic arm 126 collides with the surgical guide. Additionally or alternatively, the recommended adjustment may comprise providing an updated trajectory to reduce the likelihood of interference. For example, when the surgical guide has moved into a new pose, the trajectory algorithm 164 may receive the new pose and the current trajectory of the robotic arm 126 and output a recommended trajectory of the robotic arm 126 to compensate for the new pose of the surgical guide. In some embodiments, the trajectory algorithm 164 may receive as input navigation information such as information based on a detected movement of the surgical guide by the navigation camera 132, and may use transformation 156 on the detected movement to determine the new pose of the surgical guide. The trajectory algorithm 164 may then compare the new pose to the current trajectory to determine whether there will be a collision (such as by comparing the planned coordinates of the robotic arm 126 at a later time to the coordinates of the surgical guide to see if the two will collide) and, when there will likely be a collision, adjust the trajectory of thetrajectory algorithm 164 such that the collision is avoided. In other examples, the trajectory algorithm 164 may recommend a movement to the surgical guide to compensate for the likelihood of interference. For instance, the output of the trajectory algorithm 164 may keep the trajectory of the robotic arm 126 the same, but may determine a movement of the surgical guide that reduces or eliminates the possibility of collision. In one example, the suggested movement may be a movement to return the surgical guide to the original pose (based on, for example, the trajectory algorithm 164 using transformation 156 to “undo” the change in pose of the surgical guide).

[0061] The communication interface 112 may be used for receiving image data or other information from an external source (such as the imaging device 120, the robot 124, the navigation system 128, the database 140, the cloud 144, and / or any other system or component not part of the system 100), and / or for transmitting instructions, images, or other information to an external system or device (e.g., another computing device 102, the imaging device 120, the robot 124, the navigation system 128, the database 140, the cloud 144, and / or any other system or component not part of the system 100). The communication interface 112 may comprise one or more wired interfaces (e.g., a USB port, an Ethernet port, a Firewire port) and / or one or more wireless transceivers or interfaces (configured, for example, to transmit and / or receive information via one or more wireless communication protocols such as 802.1 la / b / g / n, Bluetooth, NFC, ZigBee, and so forth). In some embodiments, the communication interface 112 may be useful for enabling the computing device 102 to communicate with one or more other processors or computing devices, whether to reduce the time needed to accomplish a computing-intensive task or for any other reason.

[0062] The user interface 116 may be or comprise a keyboard, mouse, trackball, monitor, television, screen, touchscreen, and / or any other device for receiving information from a user and / or for providing information to a user. In some cases, the computing device 102 may comprise more than one user interface. The user interface 116 may be used, for example, to receive a user selection or other user input regarding any step of any method described herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any required input for any step of any method described herein may be generated automatically by the system 100 (e.g., by the processor 104 or another component of the system 100) or received by the system 100 from a source external to the system 100. In some embodiments, the user interface 116 may be useful to allow a surgeon or other user to modify instructions to be executed by the processor 104 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure,and / or to modify or adjust a setting of other information displayed on the user interface 116 or corresponding thereto. Although the user interface 116 is shown as part of the computing device 102, in some embodiments, the computing device 102 may utilize a user interface 116 that is housed separately from one or more remaining components of the computing device 102. In some embodiments, the user interface 116 may be located proximate one or more other components of the computing device 102, while in other embodiments, the user interface 116 may be located remotely from one or more other components of the computing device 102.

[0063] The imaging device 120 may be or comprise one or more components capable of performing various imaging modalities. For example, the imaging device 120 may be or comprise an 0-arm, C-arm, G-arm, or any other device capable of utilizing X-ray-based imaging (e.g., a fluoroscope, a CT scanner, an X-ray machine, etc.). As another example, the imaging device 120 may be or comprise an ultrasound scanner (which may comprise a physically separate transducer and receiver or a single ultrasound transceiver) capable of generating information that can be processed to produce an ultrasound image. In other examples, the imaging device 120 may be or comprise a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, an optical camera, a thermographic (e.g., infrared) camera, or any other imaging device suitable for obtaining images of anatomical feature(s) of the patient. In some cases, the components of the imaging device 120 may be contained entirely wi thing a singular housing, such as when the imaging device 120 comprises an optical camera or other imaging device whose components can be positioned together. Additionally or alternatively, the imaging device 120 may comprise components housed in separate housings, such as when the imaging device 120 comprises a transmitter / emitter positioning in a first housing and a receiver / detector positioned in a second housing such that the two components are physically separated.

[0064] The imaging device 120 may comprise more than one imaging device. For example, the imaging device 120 may comprise a first imaging device that provides first image data (e.g., data that can be manipulated by hardware and / or software components of the system 100 to generate an image) and / or a first image, and a second imaging device that provides second image data and / or second image. In such examples, the first imaging device and the second imaging device may correspond to components that implement different imaging modalities (e.g., the first imaging device implements X-ray fluoroscopy, while the second imaging device implements ultrasonic waves), which may offer the user of the system 100 additional flexibility in imaging the patient.

[0065] The robot 124 may be any surgical robot or surgical robotic system. The robot 124 may be or comprise, for example, the Mazor X™ Stealth Edition robotic guidance system. The robot 124 may be configured to manipulate a surgical tool (whether based on guidance from the navigation system 128 or not) to accomplish or to assist with a surgical task. In some examples, the robot 124 may be configured to hold and / or manipulate an anatomical element during or in connection with a surgical procedure. The robot 124 may comprise one or more robotic arms 126. In some examples, the robotic arm 126 may comprise a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm, though the robot 124 may comprise more than two robotic arms. Each robotic arm 126 may be positionable independently of the other robotic arm 126. The robotic arms 126 may be controlled in a single, shared coordinate space, or in separate coordinate spaces.

[0066] In some examples, one or more of the robotic arms 126 may be used to hold and / or maneuver the imaging device 120. In examples where the imaging device 120 comprises two or more physically separate components (e.g., a transmitter and receiver), one robotic arm 126 may hold one such component, and another robotic arm 126 may hold another such component. The robot 124 may be configured to position the imaging device 120 at one or more precise position(s) and orientation(s), and / or to return the imaging device 120 to the same position(s) and orientation / s) at a later point in time.

[0067] The robot 124, together with the robotic arm 126, may have, for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, or more degrees of freedom. Further, the robotic arm 126 may be positioned or positionable in any pose, plane, and / or focal point. The pose includes a position and an orientation. As a result, an imaging device 120, surgical tool, or other object held by the robot 124 (or, more specifically, by the robotic arm 126) may be precisely positionable in one or more needed and specific positions and orientations. The robotic arm(s) 126 may comprise one or more sensors, markers, and / or the like (e.g., navigation markers 208A-208N) that enable a processor 104 (or a processor of the robot 124) to determine a precise pose in space of the robotic arm (as well as any object or element held by or secured to the robotic arm).

[0068] In various embodiments, the navigation system 128 may be used to track a position and orientation (e.g., a pose) of the imaging device 120, the robot 124 and / or robotic arm 126, and / or one or more surgical tools (or, more particularly, to track a pose of a navigated tracker attached, directly or indirectly, in fixed relation to the one or more of the foregoing). The navigation system 128 may include a display for displaying one or more images from an external source (e.g., thecomputing device 102, imaging device 120, or other source) or for displaying an image and / or video stream from the one or more cameras or other sensors of the navigation system 128 (e.g., navigation camera 132). The navigation system 128 may be configured to provide guidance to a surgeon or other user of the system 100 or a component thereof, to the robot 124, and / or the like regarding, for example, a pose of one or more anatomical elements, whether or not a tool is in the proper trajectory, and / or how to move a tool into the proper trajectory to carry out a surgical task according to a preoperative or other surgical plan.

[0069] In some cases and as discussed in further detail below, reference markers (e.g., navigation markers 136) may be placed on the robot 124 (including, e.g., on the robotic arm 126), the imaging device 120, or any other object in the surgical space. The navigation markers 136 may be tracked by the navigation system 128, and the results of the tracking may be used by the robot 124 and / or by an operator of the system 100 or any component thereof. In some embodiments, the navigation system 128 can be used to track other components of the system (e.g., imaging device 120) and the system can operate without the use of the robot 124 (e.g., with the surgeon manually manipulating the imaging device 120 and / or one or more surgical tools, based on information and / or instructions generated by the navigation system 128, for example).

[0070] The navigation system 128 may provide navigation for a surgeon and / or a surgical robot during an operation. The navigation system 128 may be any now-known or future -developed navigation system, including, for example, the Medtronic StealthStation™ S8 surgical navigation system or any successor thereof. The navigation system 128 may include one or more cameras (e.g., a navigation camera 132) or other sensor(s) for tracking one or more reference markers, navigated trackers (e.g., navigation markers 136), or other objects (e.g., optical localizer(s), electromagnetic localizer(s), etc.) within the operating room or other room in which some or all of the navigation system 128 is located. The one or more navigation cameras 132 may be optical cameras, infrared cameras, or other cameras.

[0071] In one example, the navigation system 128 implements optical tracking to facilitate navigation. The optical tracking may comprise the navigation system 128 using optical markers (e.g., navigation markers 136) and an optical localizer to track objects within the surgical environment. The optical localizer may be positioned relative to the patient (e.g., on a table upon which the patient rests) and the optical markers may be positioned relative to one or more objects (e.g., the robot 124 and / or the robotic arms 126) and tracked by the navigation camera 132. Theoptical markers and / or localizer may be or comprise optical fiducials, reflective surfaces, and / or the like capable of being detected in images generated by the imaging device 120. Additionally or alternatively, the optical markers and / or localizer may be identifiable real-time by the imaging device 120, such as in examples where the imaging device 120 provides a live feed of components within the view of the imaging device 120. Based on the information captured by the imaging device 120, the navigation system 128 may identify the optical markers and localizer, and use the localizer location to determine the pose of the optical markers in an optical coordinate system. The navigation system 128 may then navigate one or more surgical tools (e.g., relative to the optical localizer whose position is known or determined in one or more coordinate systems).

[0072] Additionally or alternatively, the navigation system 128 may implement electromagnetic tracking to facilitate navigation. Similar to optical tracking, the electromagnetic tracking may include a plurality of electromagnetic sensors and an electromagnetic localizer positioned relative to a patient. The navigation system 128 may use an electromagnetic field emitter to generate an electromagnetic field in which the sensors and localizer are positioned. The electromagnetic field emitter may generate a constant electromagnetic field, or may alternatively emit a time-variant electromagnetic field. In some examples, the electromagnetic field emitter 212 may comprise a plurality of emitters each configured to generate slightly different electromagnetic fields. The presence of multiple electromagnetic fields may enable multiplexed sensing of the electromagnetic fields to determine the location of objects in the surgical environment. The navigation system 128 may then navigate one or more surgical tools (e.g., relative to the electromagnetic localizer whose position nis known or determined in one or more coordinate systems).

[0073] The database 140 may store information that correlates one coordinate system to another (e.g., one or more robotic coordinate systems to a patient coordinate system and / or to a navigation coordinate system). The database 140 may additionally or alternatively store, for example, one or more surgical plans (including, for example, pose information about a target and / or image information about a patient’ s anatomy at and / or proximate the surgical site, for use by the robot 124, the navigation system 128, and / or a user of the computing device 102 or of the system 100); one or more images useful in connection with a surgery to be completed by or with the assistance of one or more other components of the system 100; information about the various surgical guides used during the surgery or surgical procedure; and / or any other useful information. The database 140 may be configured to provide any such information to the computing device 102 or to anyother device of the system 100 or external to the system 100, whether directly or via the cloud 144. In some embodiments, the database 140 may be or comprise part of a hospital image storage system, such as a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a health information system (HIS), and / or another system for collecting, storing, managing, and / or transmitting electronic medical records including image data.

[0074] The cloud 144 may be or represent the Internet or any other wide area network. The computing device 102 may be connected to the cloud 144 via the communication interface 112, using a wired connection, a wireless connection, or both. In some embodiments, the computing device 102 may communicate with the database 140 and / or an external device (e.g., a computing device) via the cloud 144.

[0075] The system 100 or similar systems may be used, for example, to carry out one or more aspects of any of the methods 500 and / or 600 described herein. The system 100 or similar systems may also be used for other purposes.

[0076] Turning next to Fig. 2, an example conceptual diagram of aspects of the system 100 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In the example conceptual diagram, a patient 202 is positioned on a table 204 to undergo a surgery or surgical procedure performe partially or wholly by the robot 124 with a surgical tool 228 attached thereto that is navigated by the navigation system 128. While the example depicts the robot 124 positioned on the table 204, the robot 124 and / or the robotic arm(s) 126 may alternatively be positioned on a cart or other surface near the patient 202. In some examples, the robot 124 and / or the robotic arm(s) 126 are mounted or connected to other areas of the table 204 such that movement of the robot 124 and / or the robotic arm(s) 126 relative to the table 204 and / or the patient 202 is reduced or minimized.

[0077] The table 204 may be any operating table configured to support the patient 202 during a surgical procedure. The table 204 may include any accessories mounted to or otherwise coupled to the table 204 such as, for example, a bed rail, a bed rail adaptor, an arm rest, an extender, or the like. The table 204 may be stationary or may be operable to maneuver the patient 202 (e.g., the table 204 may be able to move). In some cases, the table 204 has two positioning degrees of freedom and one rotational degree of freedom, which allows positioning of the specific anatomy of the patient 202 anywhere in space (within a volume defined by the limits of movement of the table 204). For example, the table 204 can slide forward and backward and from side to side, andcan tilt (e.g., around an axis positioned between the head and foot of the table 204 and extending from one side of the table 204 to the other) and / or roll (e.g., around an axis positioned between the two sides of the table 204 and extending from the head of the table 204 to the foot thereof). In other cases, the table 204 can bend at one or more areas (which bending may be possible due to, for example, the use of a flexible surface for the table 204, or by physically separating one portion of the table 204 from another portion of the table 204 and moving the two portions independently). In at least some examples, the table 204 may be manually moved or manipulated by, for example, a surgeon or other user, or the table 204 may comprise one or more motors, actuators, and / or other mechanisms configured to enable movement and / or manipulation of the table 204 by a processor such as the processor 104.

[0078] In some cases, an electromagnetic field emitter 212 may be positioned proximate to the patient 202 (e.g., positioned underneath the patient, positioned next to the patient, positioned within the table 204, etc.). For example, the patient 202 may lie on a pad, pillow, or other support containing the electromagnetic field emitter 212. In some examples, the known pose of the electromagnetic field emitter 212 may enable the processor 104 to register the electromagnetic field emitter 212 to one or more other coordinate systems using, for example, registration 160.

[0079] The electromagnetic field generated and emitted by the electromagnetic field emitter 212 may be detected by one or more sensors positioned within the surgical environment such that the navigation system 128 can perform electromagnetic tracking of the sensors. For instance, an electromagnetic localizer may be positioned within the electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic field emitter 212. The electromagnetic localizer may comprise one or more electromagnetic sensors or other similar devices capable of measuring aspects of the electromagnetic field (e.g., magnitude of the electromagnetic field, direction of the electromagnetic field, etc.). The sensor measurements may be sent to the computing device 102 (e.g., stored in a memory 108) and / or to the database 140. The measurements may be processed by the processor 104 to determine the pose of the electromagnetic localizer relative to an electromagnetic coordinate system. The pose of the electromagnetic localizer may also be known in one or more other coordinate systems (e.g., a patient coordinate system), such that the processor 104 can use registration 160 to register the electromagnetic coordinate system with the patient coordinate system. Based on the registration, the navigation system 128 may use the pose of the electromagnetic localizer and subsequent readings therefrom to perform tracking of one or moreY1anatomical elements, to help navigate one or more surgical tools relative to the patient 202, combinations thereof, and / or the like.

[0080] With reference to Fig. 3, example aspects of a surgical guide 224 are shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The surgical guide 224 as depicted in Fig. 3 comprises a retractor 308 and a tracked portion 312 attached to the retractor 308 via an attachment mechanism 316. In some embodiments, the surgical guide 224 may comprise additional or alternative components (e.g., electromagnetic sensors that enable electromagnetic tracking by the navigation system 128). The surgical guide 224 may facilitate or enable the surgical tool 228 attached to the robot 124 to interact with the anatomical element 220 by, for example, providing a channel to the anatomical element 220 through the skin of the patient.

[0081] The retractor 308 may provide a channel through which one or more surgical instruments, implants, and / or the like can be inserted to interact with patient anatomy. For example, the robot 124 may interact with an anatomical element 220 of the patient 202 through the retractor 308. In some examples, the retractor 308 may be used in a MIS procedure, where the retractor 308 is inserted into a small incision on the patient to provide access to, for example, a vertebra of the patient. The retractor 308 may be attached, connected to, or otherwise mechanically coupled with the tracked portion 312 though the attachment mechanism 316. In some cases, the retractor 308 may be releasably connected to the tracked portion 312, such that different tracked portions or other devices can be connected to the retractor 308. In some cases, the attachment mechanism 316 may comprise one or more adapters or interfaces that permit attachment of different tracked portions to the retractor 308 such that, for example, additional or alternative fiducial markers can be attached to the retractor 308.

[0082] In some cases, the retractor 308 may be or comprise a cylindrical tube that extends from the patient’s skin to the patient anatomy (e.g., vertebra). The cylindrical tube may be a single solid tube, but in some cases may be a segmented tube. The distal end of the cylindrical tube may in some cases be mechanically connected to the table 204 and / or to the robotic arm 126. Additionally or alternatively, the retractor 308 may be or comprise a tubular retractor. In such cases, the tubular retractor may be adjustable in up to three spatial dimensions. In other words, the length, width, and / or height of the retractor 308 may be adjustable. In other examples, the retractor 308 may be or comprise a non-tubular retractor. In such embodiments, the retractor may be adjustable in up to three spatial dimensions, but may not be tubular or cylindrical in shape. In such examples, the non-tubular retractor may be rectangular or triangular in shape, and may be used to further open and / or maintain the incision in the patient 202 such that the robot 124 can more easily interact with the anatomical element 220 within the retracted area.

[0083] The tracked portion 312 may enable the navigation system 128 to track the retractor 308. The tracked portion 312 may comprise, for example, a plurality of trackers 320A-320N recognizable by the navigation system 128 (e.g., optically via the navigation camera 132, electromagnetically via interaction with an electromagnetic field generated by the electromagnetic field emitter 212, etc.). In some cases, the trackers 320A-320N are positioned on the tracked portion 312 in a known shape, pattern, or orientation, such that the relative distance between a tracker of the trackers 320A-320N and all other trackers of the trackers 320A-320N is known. In some embodiments, information related to the relative position of the trackers 320A-320N on the tracked portion 312 may be stored in the database 140 and may be used by the processor 104 in determining the pose of the surgical guide 224.

[0084] With reference to Fig. 4, a conceptual diagram of a surgical guide in a surgical environment in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The conceptual diagram includes the surgical guide 224 that may be connected to anatomical element 404, and a tracker 412 that may be connected to another anatomical element 416.

[0085] After the surgical guide 224 has been connected to the anatomical element 404 and the tracker 412 has been connected to the anatomical element 416, one or more surgical tasks may be planned relative to the retractor 308. In other words, the trajectory of surgical tools, implant devices, and the like may be determined based on the pose of the retractor 308. For example, a resection step of a surgical procedure where a surgical burr is moved by the robotic arm 126 through the retractor 308 may have a trajectory 408 that is planned based on the pose of the retractor 308. By planning based on the retractor 308, instances of the retractor 308 interfering with or colliding with the surgical burr (or any other element that passes through the retractor 308) can be reduced. The surgical guide 224 and the tracker 412 may both be tracked by the navigation system 128, such that the navigation system 128 can determine, when both the surgical guide 224 and the tracker 412 move simultaneously and / or in the same way spatially, that one or more anatomical elements have moved relative to the robot 124. Similarly, in cases where the tracker 412 remains stationary while the surgical guide 224 moves, the navigation system 128 can determine that the surgical guide 224 has moved. In some examples, the tracker 412 may be or comprise an optical trackerand / or an electromagnetic tracker, such that the tracker 412 can be tracked optically and / or electromagnetically by the navigation system 128.

[0086] In some cases, the retractor 308 may move relative to the anatomical element 404. This may occur, for example, when the patient moves, when the table upon which the patient rests is accidentally or inadvertently contacted, and / or the like. When it is determined that the retractor 308 has moved relative to the anatomical element 404 (based on, for example, the navigation system 128 detecting that the surgical guide 224 has moved while the tracker 412 has remained stationary), corrective action may be taken. In one example, the trajectory algorithm 164 may be used to determine whether the movement of the retractor 308 creates a possibility that the retractor 308 will interfere with the trajectory 408 of a surgical tool (e.g., surgical tool 228) that will interact with the anatomical element 404 through the retractor 308. In some cases, the retractor 308 movement may be such that the retractor 308 does not interfere with the trajectory 408 even after the retractor 308 has moved. In other words, the movement of the retractor 308 may be minimal or otherwise small enough that corrective action is not needed. In other cases, the trajectory algorithm 164 may determine that the movement of the retractor 308 results in interference with the trajectory 408. For example, the trajectory algorithm 164 may determine that the surgical tool is likely to contact the retractor 308 while moving along the trajectory 408 unless corrective action is taken.

[0087] In response to determining a likelihood of collision between the retractor 308 and the surgical tool moving along the trajectory 408, the trajectory algorithm 164 may generate one or more recommended corrective actions that can be taken to remove the interference between the retractor 308 and the surgical tool. In one example, the trajectory algorithm 164 may determine the new pose of the retractor 308 and update the trajectory 408 such that the trajectory 408 will no longer result in the surgical tool colliding with the retractor 308. In another example, the trajectory algorithm 164 may determine an adjustment to the pose of the retractor 308 that can be performed, for example, by a surgeon to return the retractor 308 to an original pose or to another pose that does not interfere with the trajectory 408.

[0088] Fig. 5 depicts a method 500 that may be used, for example, to correct a trajectory of a surgical tool and / or a pose of a surgical guide to address an interference between the surgical tool and the surgical guide.

[0089] The method 500 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be carried out or otherwise performed, for example, by at least one processor. The at least one processor may be the same asor similar to the processor(s) 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as a robot 124) or part of a navigation system (such as a navigation system 128). A processor other than any processor described herein may also be used to execute the method 500. The at least one processor may perform the method 500 by executing elements stored in a memory such as the memory 108. The elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to execute one or more steps of a function as shown in method 500. One or more portions of a method 500 may be performed by the processor executing any of the contents of memory, such as image processing 148, segmentation 152, transformation 156, registration 160, and / or one or more trajectory algorithms 164.

[0090] The method 500 comprises determining a movement of a surgical guide (step 504). The surgical guide may be similar to or the same as the surgical guide 224. In some cases, the surgical guide 224 and another tracker (e.g., tracker 412) may both be connected to different portions of patient anatomy and may both be tracked by the navigation system 128. The navigation system 128 may detect movements of the surgical guide 224 and / or the other tracker and, in cases where the surgical guide 224 moves while the other tracker does not move, determine that the surgical guide 224 has moved relative to the patient anatomy.

[0091] The method 500 also comprises determining, based on the movement of the surgical guide, a new pose of the surgical guide (step 508). The navigation system 128 may provide navigation information to the processor 104, which may use transformation 156 and registration 160 to determine a new pose of the surgical guide. In some cases, the new pose of the surgical guide may be stored in the memory 108 and / or the database 140.

[0092] The method 500 also comprises determining, based on the new pose of the surgical guide, that an interference is created between a surgical tool and the surgical guide after the movement of the surgical guide (step 512). The processor 104 may provide information associated with the new pose of the surgical guide, as well as one or more planned trajectories of the surgical tool, to the trajectory algorithm 164. The trajectory algorithm 164 may then determine whether or not the new pose of the surgical guide will interfere with the planned trajectories. In some cases, the trajectory algorithm 164 may compare the coordinates of the planned trajectories (e.g., the space that will be occupied by the surgical tool) to the coordinates of the surgical guide to see if the two will collide. When the coordinates at least partially overlap, the trajectory algorithm 164 may determine that the new pose of the surgical guide will create an interference with the surgical tool (e.g., the surgicaltool will collide with the surgical guide in the new pose if the surgical tool is navigated along the planned trajectory).

[0093] The method 500 also comprises providing a recommended adjustment to at least one of a trajectory of the surgical tool and a pose of the surgical guide to address the interference between the surgical tool and the surgical guide (step 516). The trajectory algorithm 164 may generate a recommended adjustment to the planned trajectories and / or to the pose of the surgical guide to remove or reduce the interference. For instance, the trajectory algorithm 164 may calculate new trajectories of the surgical tool by, for example, applying transformation 156 to the planned trajectories to account for the new pose of the surgical guide. In another example, the trajectory algorithm 164 may determine a recommended movement of the surgical guide to align the surgical guide with the planned trajectories. The recommended adjustment (e.g., adjusted trajectory, adjusted pose of the surgical guide, etc.) may be rendered to a display (e.g., user interface 116) for approval by a user such as a surgeon. In some cases, the method 500 may repeat every time the surgical guide moves during the course of the surgery or surgical procedure.

[0094] The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of the method 500 that comprise more or fewer steps than those described above, and / or one or more steps that are different than the steps described above.

[0095] Fig. 6 depicts a method 600 that may be used, for example, to update a trajectory when a movement of a surgical guide is detected.

[0096] The method 600 (and / or one or more steps thereof) may be carried out or otherwise performed, for example, by at least one processor. The at least one processor may be the same as or similar to the processor(s) 104 of the computing device 102 described above. The at least one processor may be part of a robot (such as a robot 124) or part of a navigation system (such as a navigation system 128). A processor other than any processor described herein may also be used to execute the method 600. The at least one processor may perform the method 600 by executing elements stored in a memory such as the memory 108. The elements stored in memory and executed by the processor may cause the processor to execute one or more steps of a function as shown in method 600. One or more portions of a method 600 may be performed by the processor executing any of the contents of memory, such as image processing 148, segmentation 152, transformation 156, registration 160, and / or one or more trajectory algorithms 164.

[0097] The method 600 comprises determining a movement of a surgical guide (step 604). In some cases, the step 604 may be similar to or the same as the step 504 of the method 500.

[0098] The method 600 also comprises determining, based on the movement of the surgical guide, a new pose of the surgical guide (step 608). In some cases, the step 608 may be similar to or the same as the step 508 of the method 500. In some examples, information about the movement of the surgical guide and / or the new pose of the surgical guide may be stored in the memory 108 and / or the database 140.

[0099] The method 600 also comprises rendering, to a display, information about the new pose of the surgical guide (step 612). Information about the new pose of the surgical guide may be rendered to a display (e.g., the user interface 116). In some cases, the rendering may include a visual depiction of the original pose of the surgical guide and a visual depiction of the new pose. In some examples, the rendering may additionally or alternatively comprise information about one or more planned trajectories, such that the user (e.g., a surgeon) can view the planned trajectories relative to the new pose of the surgical guide.

[0100] The method 600 also comprises updating, based on the new pose of the surgical guide, a trajectory associated with a surgical tool that interacts with the surgical guide (step 616). The trajectory algorithm 164 may receive as input the new pose of the surgical guide as well as one or more planned trajectories of the surgical tool (e.g., surgical tool 228). The trajectory algorithm 164 may then, for example, apply transformation 156 to transform coordinates associated with the planned trajectories into new coordinates that conform with the new pose of the surgical guide. In other words, the planned trajectories may be adjusted such that there is no interference between the new pose of the surgical guide and the trajectories of the surgical tool.

[0101] The method 600 also comprises causing the surgical tool to move in accordance with the trajectory (step 620). Once the trajectories are updated, the surgical tool may be moved in accordance with the updated trajectories. For example, the surgical tool may be connected to the robotic arm 126, and the robotic arm 126 may be controlled to move such that the surgical tool follows the updated trajectory. In some cases, the method 600 may repeat every time the surgical guide moves during the course of the surgery or surgical procedure.

[0102] The present disclosure encompasses embodiments of the method 600 that comprise more or fewer steps than those described above, and / or one or more steps that are different than the steps described above.

[0103] As noted above, the present disclosure encompasses methods with fewer than all of the steps identified in Figs. 5 and 6 (and the corresponding description of the methods 500 and 600), as well as methods that include additional steps beyond those identified in Figs. 5 and 6 (and the corresponding description of the methods 500 and 600). The present disclosure also encompasses methods that comprise one or more steps from one method described herein, and one or more steps from another method described herein. Any correlation described herein may be or comprise a registration or any other correlation.

[0104] The following provides an overview of some Examples of the present disclosure:

[0105] Example 1: A system, comprising: a processor (104); and a memory (108) coupled with the processor (104) and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), enable the processor (104) to: determine a movement of a surgical guide (224); determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), that an interference is created between a surgical tool (228) and the surgical guide (224) after the movement of the surgical guide (224); and provide a recommended adjustment to at least one of a trajectory of the surgical tool (228) and a pose of the surgical guide (224) to address the interference between the surgical tool (228) and the surgical guide (224).

[0106] Example 2: The system of Example 1, further comprising a tracker (412) positioned proximate an anatomical element (416), wherein the movement of the surgical guide (224) is determined at least partially based on a movement of the tracker (412).

[0107] Example 3: The system of Example 2, wherein the tracker (412) comprises at least one of an optical tracker and an electromagnetic tracker.

[0108] Example 4: The system of any one of Examples 1-3, wherein the surgical guide (224) comprises at least one of a cylindrical tube, a tubular retractor, and a non-tubular retractor.

[0109] Example 5: The system of any one of Examples 1-4, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to: determine a movement of an anatomical element (404).

[0110] Example 6: The system of any one of Examples 1-5, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to: determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), a new pose of the surgical guide (224).

[0111] Example 7: The system of any one of Examples 1-6, wherein information associated with the recommended adjustment is rendered to a display (116).

[0112] Example 8: A system comprising: a processor (104); and a memory (108) coupled with the processor (104) and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), enable the processor (104) to: determine a movement of a surgical guide (224); determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), a new pose of the surgical guide (224); update, based on the new pose of the surgical guide (224), a trajectory associated with a surgical tool (228) that interacts with the surgical guide (224); and cause the surgical tool (228) to move in accordance with the trajectory.

[0113] Example 9: The system of Example 8, further comprising: a tracker (412) positioned proximate an anatomical element (416), wherein the movement of the surgical guide (224) is determined at least partially based on a position of the tracker (412).

[0114] Example 10: The system of Example 9, wherein the tracker (412) comprises at least one of an optical tracker and an electromagnetic tracker.

[0115] Example 11 : The system of any one of Examples 8-10, wherein the surgical guide (224) comprises at least one of a cylindrical tube, a tubular retractor, and a non-tubular retractor.

[0116] Example 12: The system of any one of Examples 8-11, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to: determine a movement of an anatomical element (404).

[0117] Example 13: The system of any one of Examples 8-12, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to: determine, based on the new pose of the surgical guide (224), a probability that the surgical tool (228) will interfere with the surgical guide (224) when the surgical tool (228) enters the surgical guide (224).

[0118] Example 14: The system of any one of Examples 8-13, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to: render, to a display (116), information about the new pose of the surgical guide (224).

[0119] Example 15: The system of Example 14, wherein the information about the new pose of the surgical guide (224) includes a recommended adjustment of the surgical guide (224) to account for the movement of the surgical guide (224).

[0120] Example 16: A system comprising: a surgical guide (224); a processor (104); and a memory (108) coupled with the processor (104) and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), enable the processor (104) to: determine, based on tracking the surgical guide (224), a movement of the surgical guide (224); determine, based on the movement of the surgicalguide (224), a new pose of the surgical guide (224); determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), a probability that a surgical tool (228) will interfere with the surgical guide (224) when the surgical guide (224) is in the new pose; and provide a recommended adjustment to at least one of a trajectory of the surgical tool (228) and a pose of the surgical guide (224) to reduce the probability that the surgical tool (228) will interfere with the surgical guide (224).

[0121] Example 17: The system of Example 16, further comprising: a tracker (412) positioned proximate an anatomical element (416), wherein the movement of the surgical guide (224) is determined at least partially based on a movement of the tracker (412).

[0122] Example 18: The system of Example 17, wherein the tracker (412) comprises at least one of an optical tracker and an electromagnetic tracker.

[0123] Example 19: The system of any one of Examples 16-18, wherein the surgical guide (224) comprises at least one of a cylindrical tube, a tubular retractor, and a non-tubular retractor.

[0124] Example 20: The system of any one of Examples 16-19, wherein information associated with the recommended adjustment is rendered to a display (116).

[0125] The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and / or configuration. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.

[0126] Moreover, though the foregoing has included description of one or more aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative aspects, embodiments, and / or configurations to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges orsteps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and / or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A system comprising: a processor (104); and a memory (108) coupled with the processor (104) and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), enable the processor (104) to: determine a movement of a surgical guide (224); determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), that an interference is created between a surgical tool (228) and the surgical guide (224) after the movement of the surgical guide (224); and provide a recommended adjustment to at least one of a trajectory of the surgical tool (228) and a pose of the surgical guide (224) to address the interference between the surgical tool (228) and the surgical guide (224).

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tracker (412) positioned proximate an anatomical element (416), wherein the movement of the surgical guide (224) is determined at least partially based on a movement of the tracker (412).

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the tracker (412) comprises at least one of an optical tracker and an electromagnetic tracker.

4. The system of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the surgical guide (224) comprises at least one of a cylindrical tube, a tubular retractor, and a non-tubular retractor.

5. The system of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to determine a movement of an anatomical element (404).

6. The system of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), a new pose of the surgical guide (224).

7. The system of any one of claims 1-6, wherein information associated with the recommended adjustment is rendered to a display (116).

8. A system comprising: a processor (104); and a memory (108) coupled with the processor (104) and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), enable the processor (104) to:determine a movement of a surgical guide (224); determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), a new pose of the surgical guide (224); update, based on the new pose of the surgical guide (224), a trajectory associated with a surgical tool (228) that interacts with the surgical guide (224); and cause the surgical tool (228) to move in accordance with the trajectory.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a tracker (412) positioned proximate an anatomical element (416), wherein the movement of the surgical guide (224) is determined at least partially based on a position of the tracker (412).

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the tracker (412) comprises at least one of an optical tracker and an electromagnetic tracker.

11. The system of any one of claims 8-10, wherein the surgical guide (224) comprises at least one of a cylindrical tube, a tubular retractor, and a non-tubular retractor.

12. The system of any one of claims 8-11, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to determine a movement of an anatomical element (404).

13. The system of any one of claims 8-12, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to determine, based on the new pose of the surgical guide (224), a probability that the surgical tool (228) will interfere with the surgical guide (224) when the surgical tool (228) enters the surgical guide (224).

14. The system of any one of claims 8-13, wherein the data, when processed by the processor (104), further enable the processor (104) to render, to a display (116), information about the new pose of the surgical guide (224).

15. A system comprising: a surgical guide (224); a processor (104); and a memory (108) coupled with the processor (104) and storing data thereon that, when processed by the processor (104), enable the processor (104) to: determine, based on tracking the surgical guide (224), a movement of the surgical guide (224); determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), a new pose of the surgical guide (224);determine, based on the movement of the surgical guide (224), a probability that a surgical tool (228) will interfere with the surgical guide (224) when the surgical guide (224) is in the new pose; and provide a recommended adjustment to at least one of a trajectory of the surgical tool (228) and a pose of the surgical guide (224) to reduce the probability that the surgical tool (228) will interfere with the surgical guide (224).

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