Hip Arthroplasty End Effector for Precise Instrument Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical approaches for bone preparation, trialing, and implant placement in total hip arthroplasty procedures face shortcomings in precision and efficiency, particularly in robotic and navigation-assisted surgeries.
Innovation Solution
An end effector with an adapter and connector system that limits degrees of freedom of surgical instruments, allowing for quick and secure attachment and detachment to a robot arm, enabling precise manipulation and manual intervention when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If surgical instruments are rigidly fixed to the robot arm, then precision and stability are improved, but flexibility and ease of manual intervention are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector employs a dynamic connection mechanism between the adapter and surgical instrument that allows transition between locked (fixed) and unlocked (mobile) states. The connector can be engaged to provide rigid fixation for precision operations, or disengaged to allow manual manipulation and repositioning, thus adapting to different surgical needs throughout the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector is divided into separable components: the adapter that interfaces with the robot arm, the connector that secures the surgical instrument, and the instrument holder portion. This segmentation allows the connector to be selectively engaged or disengaged, providing both stable fixation when needed and flexibility when manual intervention is required.
2Reliability
If multiple surgical instruments are securely attached to the end effector, then reliability of surgical operations is improved, but time for attachment and detachment operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is pre-configured with the connector mechanism and alignment features before the surgical instrument is attached. The projection and slot are pre-positioned to guide rapid alignment, and the connector can be quickly engaged in a single motion, minimizing attachment time while ensuring reliable securement of the surgical instrument.
3Ease of operation
If the end effector structure is made more complex to enable quick release and reattachment of instruments, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector function is extracted as a separate, dedicated component from the adapter body. This allows the connector to be a simple, specialized element that can be quickly engaged or disengaged without complicating the overall adapter structure. The projection and slot are simple geometric features that enable rapid connection without requiring complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations include an end effector for a total hip arthroplasty (THA) procedure. An example end effector can include: an adapter for holding a surgical instrument, the adapter having an elongate body and a projection extending therefrom; a main body having: a proximal end including an interface for attaching to a robot arm; and a distal end including an elongate recess and a slot for connecting with the surgical instrument; and a connector adapted to secure the projection in the slot to securely attach the adapter to the main body.