Robotic Surgical Cutting Alignment With Selective Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic systems for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) require significant manual intervention, leading to increased surgical duration, risk of accidental cuts, and inefficiencies due to the need for precise alignment and retraction of cutting tools, especially when dealing with surrounding ligaments and multiple cuts.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system with a manipulator and control system that automates the alignment, resection, and retraction of cutting tools along predefined target planes, allowing for both manual and automated modes of operation, and includes a user interface for mode selection and feed rate adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a robotic system is used to perform TKA, then alignment precision is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is divided into separate functional modules: a robotic arm for positioning, a passive planar linkage for trajectory constraint, and a powered saw for cutting. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function with optimized complexity, reducing the overall system complexity while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive planar linkage acts as an intermediary between the robotic arm and the powered saw. It translates the robotic arm's positioning into constrained linear motion of the saw blade, ensuring precise trajectory control without requiring complex control mechanisms in the robotic arm itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual cutting actions are performed, then the surgeon has flexibility, but the surgical duration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows dynamic switching between manual and automated modes. The robotic arm can be manually positioned by the surgeon for flexibility, while the passive planar linkage automatically constrains the saw blade trajectory. This dynamic combination allows the surgeon to maintain flexibility in positioning while the system automates the cutting trajectory control, reducing surgical duration.
3Manufacturing precision
If automated resection is performed, then cutting precision is improved, but the loss of time increases due to setup
Solution Approach 1:
The passive planar linkage is designed to work with any robotic arm positioning and any powered saw, making it a universal component that can be quickly set up for different surgical scenarios. This multi-functionality reduces setup time while maintaining cutting precision through the constrained linear trajectory of the saw blade.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple manual actions are required, then adaptability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The passive planar linkage performs self-service by automatically constraining the saw blade trajectory once the robotic arm is positioned. The mechanical constraints of the linkage inherently guide the saw along the correct path without requiring continuous manual intervention or complex active control, thereby improving surgical efficiency while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Robotic surgical systems and methods for resection of an anatomy. The system includes a cutting tool, a manipulator configured to move the cutting tool, and a control system. The control system associates a target plane with the anatomy, the target plane delineating a portion of the anatomy to be resected from a portion of the anatomy to remain unresected. The control system controls the manipulator to align the cutting tool to the target plane. The control system controls the manipulator in an automated mode to perform at least one of the following actions: automatically resect along the target plane with the cutting tool, automatically retract the cutting tool along the target plane, and automatically change a pose of the cutting tool on the target plane. The user or control system can pre-assign whether to perform any of the actions in the manual or automated mode.