Robotic Osteotomy Guide With Neuromonitoring for Safe Bone Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic surgical systems are expensive, require extensive preoperative planning, obstruct the surgeon's field of view, are non-intuitive, prone to malfunction, and pose risks due to improper drilling or maneuvering, especially in procedures like spinal surgery where precision is critical.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system with a surgical instrument guide and neuromonitoring capabilities that allows for precise, real-time guidance and protection, integrating a navigation module and neuromonitoring to prevent instrument misplacement and nerve damage, enabling intuitive operation with minimal preoperative planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If robotic systems are used to improve surgical precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic surgical system is divided into separate functional modules: a robotic arm for positioning, a surgical instrument guide for trajectory control, a neuromonitoring module for real-time nerve monitoring, and a navigation module for guidance. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system precision without requiring excessive complexity in any single component.
2Manufacturing precision
If robotic systems are used to improve surgical precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument guide acts as an intermediary between the robotic arm and the surgical instrument, providing a simplified interface that translates complex robotic movements into intuitive manual operations. The guide includes features like notches and guides that allow surgeons to manually control instrument insertion while the robotic system handles positioning, combining machine precision with human intuitiveness.
3Manufacturing precision
If robotic systems are used to improve surgical precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary positioning and trajectory planning automatically through the navigation module before the surgeon begins the actual surgical procedure. The robotic arm pre-positions the surgical instrument guide, and the navigation system pre-calculates optimal trajectories, so that when the surgeon begins drilling or inserting instruments, precision is already established without requiring extensive real-time adjustment or preoperative planning.
4Manufacturing precision
If robotic systems are used to improve surgical precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The neuromonitoring module provides real-time feedback on nerve function during the surgical procedure. Sensors monitor neurological responses and immediately alert the surgeon if nerve damage is detected, allowing for immediate correction before catastrophic damage occurs. This feedback loop compensates for any positioning errors and ensures that the improved precision does not come at the cost of increased risk.
5Manufacturing precision
If robotic systems are used to improve surgical precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument guide includes built-in mechanical features such as notches, guides, and physical stops that automatically ensure proper instrument positioning and depth control without requiring active robotic control. These passive mechanical safeguards continue to function even if the robotic system experiences malfunctions, providing inherent reliability that maintains precision while reducing dependence on complex electronic systems.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed technology relates to robotic surgical systems for improving surgical procedures. In certain embodiments, the disclosed technology relates to robotic surgical systems for use in osteotomy procedures in which bone is cut to shorten, lengthen, or change alignment of a bone structure. The osteotome, an instrument for removing parts of the vertebra, is guided by the surgical instrument guide which is held by the robot. In certain embodiments, the robot moves only in the “locked” plane (one of the two which create the wedge—i.e., the portion of the bone resected during the osteotomy). In certain embodiments, the robot shall prevent the osteotome (or other surgical instrument) from getting too deep/beyond the tip of the wedge. In certain embodiments, the robotic surgical system is integrated with neuromonitoring to prevent damage to the nervous system.