Guide Tube Maintains Portal Alignment in Software RCM Surgical Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical robots with software-based Remote Center of Motion (RCM) face challenges in maintaining alignment between surgical portals and robotic arms during instrument exchanges, leading to increased procedural time due to the lack of mechanical connection, which complicates the process and requires manual alignment.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system that utilizes a software-based RCM with a guide tube and internal seal to maintain alignment between the surgical portal and robotic arm, ensuring that the portal remains aligned even when instruments are removed or replaced, facilitating efficient instrument exchanges by using a guide tube that extends through the robotic arm and supports the surgical instruments, maintaining alignment via electrical communications and axial movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a software-based RCM is used to increase range of motion and reduce collisions, then the robotic arm can move more freely without mechanical constraints, but the surgical portal loses alignment with the robotic arm during instrument exchanges
Solution Approach 1:
A guide tube is introduced as an intermediary component that mechanically connects the surgical portal to the robotic arm. This guide tube maintains the alignment relationship between the portal and arm during instrument exchanges, resolving the contradiction by providing a physical mediator that preserves alignment while allowing the software-based RCM to maintain its range of motion benefits.
2Ease of operation
If a mechanical RCM is used to maintain alignment between surgical portal and robotic arm, then alignment is preserved during instrument exchanges, but the range of motion is limited and collisions between robotic arms occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two independent parts: a mechanical guide tube component that handles alignment maintenance, and a software-based RCM component that handles range of motion and collision avoidance. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between alignment maintenance and range of motion.
3Ease of operation
If manual alignment is performed during instrument exchange, then the surgical portal can be realigned with the robotic arm, but the time required for instrument exchange increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tube is pre-positioned and secured to the surgical portal before instrument exchange begins. This preliminary action establishes the alignment relationship in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual alignment adjustments during the instrument exchange process itself.
Data Source
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AI summary
A robotic surgical system includes a surgical robot and a guide tube. The surgical robot includes a robot arm and a controller. The controller is configured to establish a software-based remote center of motion of a surgical instrument attached to the robot arm based on a location of a surgical portal in a patient through which the surgical instrument is inserted. The guide tube having a trailing end supported by the robot arm of the surgical robot, a leading end inserted in the surgical portal and maintaining alignment between the robotic arm and the surgical portal during a surgical instrument exchange, and an elongated tubular body through which an elongated shaft of the surgical instrument is inserted or removed during the surgical instrument exchange.