Powered Surgical Instrument Force Control Using 3D Bone Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic surgical procedures, such as total joint arthroplasty, face challenges in minimizing intra-operative and post-operative adverse outcomes like fractures and high revision rates due to varying patient bone qualities, despite existing systems that visualize bone density and restrict tool activity in designated volumes.
Innovation Solution
An algorithm integrated into a robotic surgical system adjusts the power output of powered surgical tools based on patient-specific data, including bone characteristics and predicted force thresholds, using an AI model to generate 3D maps of varying bone densities and adjust tool force and speed accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the power output of powered surgical tools is increased to improve surgical efficiency, then productivity is improved, but the risk of intra-operative fractures increases due to varying bone qualities
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the power output of powered surgical tools in real-time based on the robotic system's tracking of the tool's position relative to the 3D map of bone densities. As the tool enters regions with lower bone density, the system automatically reduces power output to prevent fractures, while allowing higher power in regions with higher bone density capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the robotic position tracking system to continuously monitor the location of the powered tool and adjust power output accordingly. The control system receives position data, compares it against the 3D bone density map, and modulates power delivery to maintain safe operating parameters for the specific bone region being treated.
2Reliability
If the power output is uniformly restricted to minimize fracture risk, then safety is improved, but surgical productivity decreases due to reduced tool effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different power restrictions to different spatial regions based on the local bone density characteristics mapped in the 3D model. Rather than uniform restriction, each volume element has its own power threshold calculated based on its specific bone density and mechanical properties, allowing optimal power delivery tailored to each location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the power output parameter dynamically based on the spatial coordinates of the surgical tool. As the tool moves through different regions of the bone, the power parameter is adjusted according to the pre-calculated safe power thresholds for each region, maintaining both safety and surgical effectiveness.
3Reliability
If pre-operative planning is modified to restrict tool activity spaces, then the risk of adverse outcomes is reduced, but the versatility of surgical approaches is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from 2D or simple 3D volume restrictions to a continuous 3D spatial map with varying power thresholds at each point. This allows the surgical tool to navigate through complex spatial paths while receiving location-specific power adjustments, maintaining versatility in surgical approach while ensuring safety through precise power control at each coordinate.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a system and method for generating a 3D map of a bone of a patient undergoing a total joint arthroplasty showing various volumes of the bone having different bone quality and/or patient characteristics and predicting, for each volume, a force threshold. The force threshold is used to automatically regulate the power output of a powered surgical tool depending on which volume of risk the tool is in contact with.