Robotic Spinal Implant System for Precise Bone Fastener Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods for treating spinal disorders, such as degenerative disc disease and osteoporosis, face challenges in accurately placing bone fasteners and maintaining spinal alignment during surgical procedures, often requiring invasive techniques and manual alignment, which can lead to complications and prolonged recovery times.
Innovation Solution
A robotic-assisted spinal implant system that uses image-guided navigation to pre-operatively plan and intra-operatively execute the precise placement of bone screws, allowing for real-time tracking and adjustment of screw positions relative to vertebral anatomy, enabling minimally invasive procedures and reducing manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual alignment techniques are used for bone fastener placement, then surgical flexibility is maintained, but placement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a robotic arm as an intermediary device between the surgeon's intent and the actual bone fastener placement. The robotic arm executes precisely controlled movements based on pre-operative planning, achieving sub-millimeter accuracy while the surgeon maintains oversight through the control system. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing both high precision and surgical flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by creating detailed 3D models of the patient's anatomy from CT scans and pre-planning the optimal bone fastener trajectories before surgery. This pre-operative preparation allows the robotic system to execute precise placements during surgery, improving accuracy without requiring complex real-time manual alignment techniques.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional surgical methods are used, then procedural simplicity is maintained, but tissue disruption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional manual mechanical alignment methods with a robotically controlled system guided by pre-operative 3D planning. The robotic arm delivers bone screws along precisely calculated trajectories with sub-millimeter accuracy, minimizing the need for extensive tissue retraction and exposure that characterizes traditional open surgical approaches.
3Adaptability or versatility
If real-time tracking is implemented, then intraoperative adjustment capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements real-time tracking with optical sensors that continuously monitor the position of bone screws as they are being placed. This feedback mechanism allows the surgical team to verify trajectory accuracy and make immediate adjustments if deviations occur, ensuring precise placement while maintaining surgical flexibility through the ability to respond to real-time conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprises the steps of: imaging a patient anatomy; selecting an implant strategy for at least one bone fastener having a first member; registering the imaging of the patient anatomy with imaging of a surgical driver; engaging the first member with tissue of the patient anatomy via the surgical driver according to the implant strategy; manipulating the patient anatomy; acquiring data points representative of a position of the first member relative to tissue; and retrieving the data points from a computer database for attaching a second member with the first member. Systems, spinal constructs, implants and surgical instruments are disclosed.