Percutaneous Robotic Screw Guidance for Precise Spinal Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic surgical systems for spinal surgeries are expensive, require extensive preparation, are physically intrusive, non-intuitive, and prone to malfunctions, leading to challenges in precise screw placement and increased surgical time, while traditional open surgery techniques are invasive and result in significant tissue damage and recovery time.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system with a portable robot arm and end effector for precise positioning of surgical tools, using minimally invasive techniques to access vertebrae while protecting surrounding tissues, which includes a force sensor to detect and maintain the planned trajectory for screw placement, and a method that involves storing and updating planned trajectories for precise guidance of surgical instruments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional open surgery techniques are used for spinal surgeries, then access to vertebrae is achieved, but significant tissue damage and long recovery time occur
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical approach is segmented into multiple percutaneous access points rather than one large open incision. The robotic system divides the surgical task into discrete steps (positioning, drilling, screw insertion) performed through small separate access points, minimizing overall tissue disruption while achieving the same surgical objective
Solution Approach 2:
Surgical instruments are nested within robotic end effectors, which are themselves positioned within the robotic arm structure. This nested configuration allows precise delivery of surgical tools through minimal incisions, enabling complex spinal procedures through small percutaneous access points without requiring large open exposures
2Manufacturing precision
If current robotic surgical systems are used, then surgical precision is improved, but extensive preparation time and operating room setup time are required
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system performs preliminary positioning and trajectory planning before the actual surgical intervention. Pre-operative imaging and robotic registration are completed ahead of time, allowing the surgical team to finalize the surgical plan before entering the operating room, thereby reducing intraoperative preparation time
Solution Approach 2:
Complex mechanical positioning and measurement tasks are replaced with robotic automation and image-guided navigation. The robotic system automatically performs registration, trajectory calculation, and instrument positioning, eliminating time-consuming manual measurements and calculations while maintaining high precision
3Manufacturing precision
If current robotic surgical systems are used, then surgical precision is improved, but the systems are physically intrusive and block the surgeon's field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system provides localized precision assistance only at the specific surgical site rather than requiring comprehensive physical presence throughout the operating room. The compact end effectors and modular robotic arms occupy minimal space while delivering high-precision operations only where needed, leaving the rest of the operating room accessible to the surgical team
4Adaptability or versatility
If manual surgical techniques are used for screw placement, then surgical flexibility is maintained, but significant variation in success rate among surgeons occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system creates a digital copy or replica of the patient's anatomy through image registration and 3D reconstruction. This virtual model allows precise trajectory planning and simulation before actual surgery, enabling consistent high-precision screw placement based on the digital replica rather than relying on individual surgeon variability
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
The system provides enhanced precision, reduces surgical time, minimizes tissue damage, and allows for faster recovery by using minimally invasive techniques with intuitive operation, reducing the need for extensive training and equipment setup, while maintaining the accuracy of robotic-assisted systems.
Implementation Method 1
detecting, by a force sensor, movement of a surgical instrument guide
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein are systems, apparatus, and methods for precise placement and guidance of tools during surgery, particularly spinal surgery, using minimally invasive surgical techniques. Several minimally invasive approaches to spinal surgeries were conceived, percutaneous technique being one of them. This procedures looks to establish a skin opening as small as possible by accessing inner organs via needle-puncture of the skin. The percutaneous technique is used in conjunction with a robotic surgical system to further enhance advantages of manual percutaneous techniques by improving precision, usability and/or shortening surgery time by removal of redundant steps.