Integrated Imaging for Anatomical Drilling and Soft Tissue Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for drilling or milling anatomical elements lack real-time data to ensure safe operation, particularly in avoiding damage to surrounding tissues during bone procedures using surgical robots.
Innovation Solution
A system integrating a surgical tool and an imaging device, such as an ultrasound device, within a housing to monitor the thickness of hard tissue in real-time, preventing further advancement when a threshold is reached to avoid penetrating adjacent soft tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the surgical tool advances continuously during drilling or milling operations, then productivity is improved, but the risk of damaging surrounding soft tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs real-time imaging (ultrasound or optical) to continuously monitor the distance between the surgical tool and surrounding soft tissues during drilling or milling operations. This feedback loop allows the control system to detect when the hard tissue thickness approaches a predetermined threshold and automatically adjust or stop tool advancement, enabling continuous operation at high productivity while preventing soft tissue damage through real-time monitoring and automatic control.
2Reliability
If real-time imaging is integrated with the surgical tool, then safety is improved by preventing soft tissue damage, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the imaging device (ultrasound transducer or optical sensor) directly with the surgical tool housing, merging two separate systems into a single integrated unit. This combination allows real-time imaging capability to be embedded within the drilling or milling tool itself, enabling safety monitoring without requiring separate external imaging equipment, thereby improving safety while managing system complexity through integration.
3Reliability
If the surgical tool stops automatically when threshold is reached, then safety is improved, but productivity decreases due to interrupted operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic imaging measurements during the drilling or milling operation, continuously monitoring hard tissue thickness at regular intervals rather than requiring continuous measurement. This periodic sampling approach allows the surgical tool to operate continuously at high speed between measurements, maintaining productivity, while still detecting thickness changes and triggering automatic stop commands when the predetermined threshold is approached, thus balancing safety with operational continuity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances safety by preventing damage to soft tissues by stopping the surgical tool when the hard tissue thickness meets a predetermined threshold, ensuring precise control during drilling or milling operations.
Implementation Method 1
the imaging device comprises an ultrasound device
Implementation Method 2
process the image using image processing to identify the hard tissue
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices for drilling and imaging an anatomical element are provided. An image may be received from an imaging device coupled to a housing. The image may depict hard tissue and/or soft tissue and the image may be processed using image processing to identify the hard tissue and/or soft tissue. A thickness of the hard tissue may be determined and instructions to perform a surgical step on the hard tissue when the thickness is less than a predetermined threshold may be transmitted.