Robotic Cutting Guide Repositioning for Accurate Bone Resection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing robotic systems for placing cutting guides during surgical procedures are inefficient, increasing surgery time and reducing cutting accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A robotic surgery system with a cutting guide configured to autonomously position and constrain movement relative to a bone, allowing precise cutting along a desired plane, and providing haptic feedback to ensure accurate cutting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a cutting guide is fixed to the patient's tissue during surgical procedures, then cutting accuracy is improved, but surgery time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting accuracyVSAvoidsurgery time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic system enables dynamic repositioning of the cutting guide during surgery. The guide can be autonomously repositioned to a second location after the initial cut, allowing continuous guidance without manual reattachment. This dynamic capability maintains cutting accuracy while reducing the time loss associated with fixed positioning and reattachment procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If a robotic system is used to place cutting guides, then cutting accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic system performs autonomous repositioning of the cutting guide without requiring continuous manual intervention. The system self-manages the repositioning process from the first location to the second location, reducing the operational complexity for the surgeon while maintaining high cutting accuracy through automated control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the cutting guide is repositioned to a second location, then cutting time is reduced, but positioning precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting timeVSAvoidpositioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic system employs feedback control to ensure precise positioning of the cutting guide at the second location. Sensors and control algorithms monitor and adjust the guide's position to maintain the desired spatial relationship with the bone, ensuring positioning precision meets the requirements for accurate cutting while enabling time-efficient repositioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4483833B1Robotic systems for manipulating a cutting guide for a surgical instrument
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 MAKO SURGICAL CORP
  • EP4483833B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4483833B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4483833B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A robotic surgery system (10) for use with a free-hand surgical instrument (42) comprises a robotic manipulator (22); an end effector (36) including a guide (38) to be coupled to the robotic manipulator (22), the guide (38) configured to guide a surgical tool (40) of the surgical instrument (42) so that the surgical tool (40) moves along a desired plane or axis to remove material from a bone, and a control system (34, 48, 62) coupled to the robotic manipulator (22) to control a location of the guide (38) relative to the bone. The control system (34, 48, 62) is configured to autonomously position the guide (38) at a target orientation relative to the bone so that the surgical tool (40) aligns with the desired plane or axis when the surgical tool (40) is placed in the guide (38), constrain movement of the guide (38) as a user manually manipulates the end effector (36) to cause the guide (38) to move toward the bone to an initial guide location (GL1) adjacent to the bone such that the guide (38) remains in the target orientation at the initial guide location (GL1), control the robotic manipulator (22) to facilitate withdrawal of the guide (38) away from the initial guide location (GL1) to a spaced guide location (GL2) after the user removes an initial amount of material from the bone with the surgical tool (40) along the desired plane or axis, and maintain the guide (38) in the target orientation at the spaced guide location (GL2), wherein the spaced guide location (GL2) is suitable for the surgical tool (40) to continue removing material from the bone along the desired plane or axis.