Robotic Pedicle Screw Insertion With Haptic Torque Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic surgical systems for placing pedicle screws in the spine underutilize the robotic manipulator, leading to a loss of haptic and sensory feedback for surgeons, resulting in reduced confidence and poor procedural efficacy due to the lack of direct interaction with tissue during the surgical process.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system incorporating a haptic device with an actuator and a manually manipulatable rotational interface, coupled with a navigation system, to autonomously control the surgical tool's rotation and advancement while providing haptic feedback based on the interaction between the screw and the target site, emulating the present or simulated interaction through resistive forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the robotic manipulator autonomously controls the surgical tool to rotate and advance the screw, then the precision and consistency of screw insertion are improved, but the surgeon loses direct haptic feedback and sensory information from tissue interaction
Solution Approach 1:
A haptic device acts as an intermediary between the surgeon and the robotic manipulator. The haptic device includes a rotational interface that the surgeon can manually manipulate, and an actuator that converts this manual input into rotational motion of the surgical tool. This intermediary mechanism allows the surgeon to maintain direct tactile interaction with the screw insertion process while the robotic system provides autonomous control and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the haptic device provides real-time haptic feedback to the surgeon during screw insertion. The actuator in the haptic device generates resistive forces that simulate the interaction between the screw and bone tissue, allowing the surgeon to sense tissue characteristics and insertion progress. This feedback mechanism restores the sensory information that would otherwise be lost in fully autonomous robotic control.
2Device complexity
If the robotic manipulator is used only for positioning the tool guide, then the system complexity is reduced, but the robotic manipulator is underutilized and procedural efficacy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic manipulator is designed to perform multiple functions: positioning the tool guide, autonomously rotating the screw, and advancing the screw along the planned trajectory. The haptic device interface allows the surgeon to control these functions through a single rotational input, making the robotic system more versatile and productive without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the functions of tool positioning, screw rotation, and screw advancement into a single integrated robotic manipulator controlled through the haptic device. By combining these functions that were previously performed by separate tools or manual operations, the system improves procedural efficacy while managing complexity through unified control.
3Loss of information
If the surgeon manually drills and inserts the screw, then haptic feedback is maintained, but the robotic manipulator is underutilized and positioning precision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic device serves as an intermediary that allows the surgeon to manually control the robotic manipulator's rotation and advancement functions. This manual control through the haptic interface maintains the surgeon's direct involvement and haptic feedback, while the robotic manipulator ensures precise trajectory alignment and positioning that would be difficult to achieve manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic device provides real-time feedback to the surgeon during manual control of the robotic manipulator. The actuator generates resistive forces that reflect the interaction between the screw and tissue, allowing the surgeon to maintain tactile awareness while benefiting from the robotic system's precision positioning and trajectory control capabilities.
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 surgeon confidence and procedural efficacy by maintaining haptic feedback, allowing for precise control and adaptability to unforeseen circumstances during pedicle screw insertion, thereby improving the surgical process.
Implementation Method 1
a haptic device comprising an actuator and a rotational interface coupled to the actuator and the rotational interface being configured to be manually manipulatable by a hand of an operator... control the haptic device to enable the rotational interface to emulate the present interaction between the screw and the target site
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein are techniques including a robotic manipulator including a surgical tool to interface with and rotate the screw about a rotational axis. A haptic device includes an actuator and a rotational interface coupled to the actuator and the rotational interface is manually manipulatable by a hand of an operator. One or more controllers control movement of the robotic manipulator to maintain the rotational axis of the surgical tool along a planned trajectory; autonomously control the surgical tool to rotate the screw at a rotational rate about the rotational axis and to linearly advance the screw at an advancement rate according to a known thread geometry of the screw; obtain a measurement indicative of a present interaction between the screw and the target site; and control the actuator of the haptic device to enable the rotational interface to emulate the present interaction between the screw and the target site.