Robotic Surgery System for Flexible Intraoperative Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluoroscopy systems for intraoperative imaging during surgical procedures are bulky, inflexible, and costly, making them unsuitable for efficient imaging in operating room settings where repositioning and reorientation of imaging hardware are often required, especially in tight spaces and for moving joints.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgery system comprising a mobile base, a first robotic arm with a mounting fixture for a fluoroscopic imaging system, and a second repositionable element, controlled by a sensing system to maintain spatial alignment between the imaging elements, allowing for efficient and flexible intraoperative imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional fluoroscopy C-arm systems are used, then intraoperative imaging can be performed, but the systems are large, unwieldly, and require extensive repositioning in tight operating room spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the imaging functionality into separate modular components: a mobile base unit, a robotic arm mechanism, and interchangeable imaging attachments. This segmentation allows the system to be reconfigured for different imaging needs while maintaining a compact footprint in the operating room.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic arm provides dynamic, motorized positioning capabilities that allow the imaging system to adapt its position and orientation automatically. This eliminates the need for manual repositioning of large C-arm systems and enables flexible imaging angles within a compact space.
2Reliability
If imaging hardware is repositioned to capture additional views, then complete anatomical visualization is achieved, but time is lost and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-positions the imaging components using automated robotic control to capture multiple anatomical views in sequence. The robotic arm can rapidly transition between predetermined positions to obtain both antero/posterior and lateral views without requiring manual intervention or extensive reconfiguration time.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing system provides real-time feedback on the position and orientation of imaging elements relative to patient anatomy. This feedback loop enables automated adjustment and verification of imaging angles, ensuring complete anatomical visualization while minimizing the time required for positioning adjustments.
3Adaptability or versatility
If two robotic arms are used to maintain imaging relationship during joint movement, then dynamic imaging is achieved, but the cost of installation and maintenance becomes immense
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm is designed with universal mounting capabilities that allow it to perform both imaging functions and surgical tool functions. The same robotic mechanism can hold either imaging attachments or surgical instruments, eliminating the need for separate specialized systems and reducing overall installation and maintenance costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the imaging system and surgical tool system into a single integrated robotic platform. By combining these functions into one versatile robotic arm with interchangeable attachments, the system achieves dynamic imaging capability during joint movement without requiring two separate robotic arms, thereby significantly reducing installation and maintenance costs.
4Ease of operation
If portable imaging systems are used, then flexibility in operating room usage is improved, but imaging precision and stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical positioning with automated robotic control mechanisms. The robotic arm uses motorized actuators and sensing systems to achieve precise and stable positioning of the imaging elements, maintaining imaging accuracy despite the portable, mobile design of the overall system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and flexible intraoperative imaging by allowing precise repositioning and reorientation of imaging elements relative to the patient anatomy, reducing the need for extensive reconfiguration and minimizing the footprint in the operating room, thereby improving imaging quality and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a sensing system configured to detect motion of one or more sensor elements coupled to each of the first and second elements and determine a relative spatial positioning between each of the first and second elements
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
A robotic surgery system includes a mobile base (48) configured to be movably coupled to the operating room; a first robotic arm (34) coupled to the mobile base and comprising a mounting fixture (50) configured to be interchangeably coupled to a surgical tool and a first element (24) of a fluoroscopic imaging system comprising a source element and a detector element; a second element (26) configured to be repositionable relative to a patient tissue structure that may be placed between the first and second elements; and a controller (74) operatively coupled to the first robotic arm, the controller configured to receive signals from a sensing system operatively coupled to the controller, the sensing system (80) configured to detect motion of one or more sensor elements coupled to each of the first and second elements of the fluoroscopic imaging system and determine a relative spatial positioning between each of the first and second elements.