Autonomous Patient Positioning System for Robotic Surgery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current patient positioning systems during surgical procedures require manual adjustment by trained personnel, leading to increased costs and infection risks, and are often cumbersome and difficult to integrate with robotic surgical manipulators, especially in orthopedic surgeries like arthroplasty where precise positioning is critical.

Innovation Solution

An autonomous patient positioning system that includes a support mechanism with a drive actuator, allowing for remote and automated positioning of patients outside the sterile field, integrated with a navigation system to track virtual boundaries and adjust patient positioning dynamically based on surgical requirements, enabling precise and efficient alignment with robotic surgical manipulators.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual adjustment by trained personnel is used, then patient positioning can be performed, but costs increase and infection risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfection riskVSAvoidmanual adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patient positioning system performs positioning operations autonomously without requiring manual intervention by trained personnel. The robotic manipulator with navigation system automatically adjusts patient position based on pre-programmed parameters, eliminating the need for human operators to physically adjust positioning devices, thereby reducing infection risk while maintaining positioning capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment operations with an automated robotic system. The robotic manipulator uses computer-controlled mechanisms instead of human hands to perform positioning tasks, substituting the mechanical action of trained personnel with an automated electromechanical system that reduces infection risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Extent of automation

If automated positioning system is implemented, then personnel costs are reduced and infection risk is minimized, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomated positioningVSAvoidsystem integration

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic manipulator is designed to perform multiple functions including patient positioning, surgical instrument manipulation, and navigation. By making the system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated positioning devices, thereby managing complexity while achieving automated positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation system acts as an intermediary between the robotic manipulator and the patient positioning task. It provides real-time feedback and guidance to the manipulator, enabling automated positioning without requiring complex direct control mechanisms, thus managing system complexity through modular architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If precise positioning is required for orthopedic surgery, then surgical accuracy is improved, but positioning system complexity and difficulty of integration increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidintegration difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system provides real-time feedback on the position and orientation of the robotic manipulator relative to the patient's anatomy. This feedback loop enables the system to make continuous adjustments to maintain precise positioning accuracy throughout the surgical procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary positioning calculations and virtual boundary definitions before the actual surgical procedure. By pre-programming the optimal patient position and surgical boundaries, the patent simplifies the integration process while ensuring high positioning accuracy during the procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3768213B1System for patient positioning in an automated surgery

Publication Date: 2022.12.28 MAHONEY ORMONDE M

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AI summary

The present solution is generally directed to a patient positioning system used to position body parts, such as a knee, during a medical or surgical procedure. Further, the present solution is generally directed to a system and method for establishing and tracking virtual boundaries, and controlling a patient positioning system to adjust those virtual boundaries to facilitate an automated surgery procedure. Further, the present solution is generally directed to the synergistic combination of an autonomous patient positioning sub-system with a robotic surgical manipulator sub-system.