Robotic Ankle Arthroplasty System for Talar Component Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic systems for ankle arthroplasty lack the precision and accuracy needed for securely placing ankle implants, particularly the talar component, and verifying their proper seating on the talus.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgery system equipped with a robotic manipulator, a cutting tool, and a localizer for tracking movement, along with a controller that operates the manipulator to remove material from the talus to form a pyramidal frustum, allowing for precise placement and verification of the talar component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical cutting guides and aids are used to prepare the talus, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the placement accuracy and precision of the talar component is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical cutting guides with a robotic system that uses computer vision and navigation to guide the cutting tool. The robotic manipulator positions the cutting tool based on pre-planned virtual objects representing the desired talar component placement, eliminating the need for complex mechanical guides mounted on the talus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of the talar component and talus anatomy in a computerized planning system. These virtual objects are used to define the precise cutting geometry and component placement before surgery, allowing accurate reproduction of the planned geometry during the actual procedure without requiring physical trial components.
2Reliability
If larger openings or multiple openings are made in the talus for mounting mechanical guides, then the guides can be secured, but the bone structure is more damaged and the procedure becomes more invasive
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system replaces mechanical guides that require bone mounting with a navigation-based guidance system. The system uses external tracking markers and computer vision to guide the cutting tool, eliminating the need to create large openings or multiple penetrations in the talus for guide attachment.
3Ease of manufacture
If dome cuts are made in the talus to seat the talar component, then the implant can be installed, but direct inspection of the placement is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtual copies of the talar component and the planned cutting geometry to verify placement. The robotic system tracks the actual cutting tool movements and compares them against the virtual plan, providing real-time verification that the dome cuts and component placement match the pre-planned geometry without requiring direct visual inspection through the implant.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system incorporates feedback mechanisms that track the position and orientation of the cutting tool and compare it to the planned trajectory. This closed-loop control provides verification that the dome cuts are made to the correct geometry and that the talar component will be placed accurately, allowing detection and correction before final implantation.
4Manufacturing precision
If robotic manipulator with virtual object control is used, then the accuracy and precision of ankle arthroplasty is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system integrates multiple functions into a single platform: preoperative planning, virtual object creation, real-time navigation, cutting tool control, and placement verification. This multi-functional integration achieves high precision while managing complexity by consolidating capabilities rather than using separate specialized devices for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
Robotic system and methods for robotic arthroplasty are provided. The robotic system includes a machining system and a guidance system. The guidance station tracks movement of one or more of various objects in the operating room, such as a surgical tool, a tibia of a patient, a talus of the patient, or a component of an implant. The guidance system tracks these objects for purposes of displaying their relative positions and orientations to the surgeon and, in some cases, for purposes of controlling movement of the surgical tool of the machining system relative to virtual cutting boundaries or other virtual objects associated with the tibia and talus to facilitate preparation of bone to receive an ankle implant system.