Robotic Pedicle Screw Insertion With Force-Guided Trajectory Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic manipulators in surgical systems are underutilized during procedures like pedicle screw placement, as they play little to no role in drilling pilot holes or inserting screws, limiting their effectiveness in spinal surgery.
Innovation Solution
A surgical robotic system with a robotic manipulator and controller that autonomously guides and controls surgical tools to place implants at precise locations, allowing for autonomous movement until a predefined distance and manual manipulation for final placement, and includes features like haptic feedback and navigation systems for precise incisions and hole formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If robotic manipulator is used for positioning tool guide along desired trajectory, then positioning precision is improved, but the robotic manipulator plays little to no role in drilling pilot holes or inserting screws, limiting its effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic manipulator is enhanced to perform multiple functions: positioning the tool guide, drilling pilot holes, and inserting screws. The system integrates these functions through a unified robotic arm with interchangeable surgical tools and a controller that manages all operations, transforming the manipulator from a single-function positioning device to a multi-function surgical system that can execute the entire implant placement procedure.
2Manufacturing precision
If autonomous movement is used for implant placement, then surgical accuracy is improved, but manual manipulation is needed for final placement within predefined distance
Solution Approach 1:
The implant placement process is divided into two segments: an autonomous phase for approaching the target location and a manual phase for final placement. The controller autonomously navigates the surgical tool to within a predefined distance of the target, then transitions to manual control for the surgeon to complete the placement. This segmentation allows the system to leverage automated precision for the majority of the procedure while retaining manual dexterity for the final critical steps.
3Manufacturing precision
If robotic manipulator controls surgical tool rotation and movement, then implant placement precision is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the control of surgical tool rotation and movement into a single integrated robotic manipulator with unified control. The robotic arm simultaneously manages both the rotational motion for drilling/insertion and the translational motion for positioning, eliminating the need for separate mechanical systems. This consolidation achieves precise implant placement while reducing overall system complexity compared to having independent control mechanisms for each degree of freedom.
Data Source
AI summary
Surgical systems and methods involve a robotic manipulator with a force sensor and a surgical tool that holds a screw. The screw has a known thread geometry. A navigation system tracks a pose of a target anatomy. Controller(s) store the known thread geometry and control the robotic manipulator to maintain the rotational axis on a planned trajectory with respect to the target anatomy based on the tracked pose of the target anatomy. The controller(s) detect, with the force sensor, a force applied by a user. The controller(s) control a rotational rate of the surgical tool to rotate the screw about a rotational axis and an advancement rate of the surgical tool to linearly advance the screw along the planned trajectory. The rotational rate and the advancement rate are based on the force applied by the user and are proportional to the known thread geometry.