Active Robot Arm Surgical Guide for Hip Cup Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computer-guided surgical systems for acetabular cup placement in total hip arthroplasty procedures are cumbersome, require additional surgical time, and provide inaccurate 2D feedback in a 3D environment, leading to potential errors in cup placement due to the need for separate monitoring and limited movement in the operating room.
Innovation Solution
A computer-guided surgical system using an active robot arm to position an angle indicator directly at the surgical site, providing a visual guide for the surgeon to accurately align the acetabular cup, with the angle indicator being aligned with the desired axis for cup placement, allowing simultaneous observation of the surgical site and guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a computer monitor is used to display 2D surgical guidance information, then the surgeon can see the guidance data, but the surgeon must look away from the 3D surgical site, reducing accuracy and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms 2D surgical guidance information into a 3D physical representation using a robot arm that positions a surgical tool along the desired insertion axis. The surgeon directly observes the 3D tool orientation and position in the surgical field, eliminating the need to switch between 2D monitor views and 3D anatomical structures, thereby maintaining both information access and placement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm acts as an intermediary that translates computer-generated 2D guidance data into a tangible 3D visual aid in the surgical field. The surgical tool positioned by the robot arm serves as a physical mediator that the surgeon can directly observe and align with, bridging the gap between digital planning and physical execution without requiring the surgeon to look away from the surgical site
2Reliability
If a tracker and IR camera system are used for computer-guided surgery, then surgical guidance is provided, but the system is cumbersome and limits movement in the operating room
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential guidance function from the cumbersome tracker-camera system and implements it through a robot arm that directly positions a surgical tool according to pre-operative planning. This eliminates the need for extensive tracking infrastructure and allows the surgeon to move freely while the robot arm provides stable, reliable guidance at the surgical site
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex optical tracking system (IR cameras and markers) with a mechanically controlled robot arm system. The robot arm is controlled by computer based on pre-operative imaging and planning, substituting the need for real-time optical tracking with a more flexible mechanical positioning system that does not limit surgeon movement or require extensive equipment in the operating room
3Productivity
If the surgeon manually positions the cup impactor without robotic assistance, then the procedure is faster, but alignment accuracy decreases leading to potential errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-operatively imaging the patient's anatomy and computing the optimal surgical plan and desired insertion axis before surgery. This pre-planning allows the robot arm to quickly and accurately position the surgical tool during surgery without requiring manual trial-and-error alignment, maintaining both speed and precision by having all guidance calculations completed in advance
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm provides real-time visual feedback to the surgeon by positioning the surgical tool along the pre-calculated desired insertion axis. The surgeon can directly observe the tool's orientation and position, receiving immediate feedback on alignment accuracy, which enables rapid adjustments without sacrificing precision. This feedback loop maintains both surgical speed and alignment accuracy by eliminating guesswork
Data Source
AI summary
In this invention, there is provided a system which can visually indicate to the surgeon an ideal angle for the acetabular cup during a total hip replacement procedure, wherein the system uses a robotic system which orients an elongated guide at the preferred axis for the acetabular cup.