Rotary Robotic Surgical Tool for Incision and Pathway Creation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical procedures face challenges in accurately creating tissue pathways during minimally invasive surgeries, leading to potential tissue harm, prolonged procedure times, and improperly sized incisions due to guesswork in targeting vertebrae sections without clear visibility.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical tool with a blade and blunt tip trocar combination that can rotate between cutting and tissue pathway creation positions, equipped with sensors for precise depth and force control, allowing for accurate incisions and pathway dilation based on preoperative imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single surgical tool is used for both cutting and tissue pathway creation, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision and reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical tool is divided into two distinct functional segments: a cutting element (blade or scalpel) and a tissue pathway creation element (blunt tip trocar or stylet). These segments are arranged in a rotary configuration within a single tool housing, allowing each segment to perform its specialized function with high precision while remaining part of an integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
A single surgical tool is designed to perform multiple functions: cutting through tissue layers and creating tissue pathways. The rotary mechanism allows the tool to switch between these functions, eliminating the need for separate tools and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the precision required for each specific task.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a rotary mechanism with multiple elements is used, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple surgical elements (cutting blade and blunt tip trocar) are merged into a single integrated tool assembly that shares a common housing, drive mechanism, and rotational axis. This combining approach provides adaptability for different surgical tasks while minimizing the number of separate components and assembly steps required.
3Measurement precision
If depth sensing and force sensing subsystems are integrated, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing subsystems are nested within the existing tool housing structure. Depth sensing elements and force sensing elements are integrated into the tool shaft or housing in a manner that utilizes existing spaces and mounting mechanisms, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring separate external sensing devices or complex additional manufacturing processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A robotic surgical system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a robot arm including a proximal end and a distal end and a surgical tool that attaches to the distal end of the robot arm via a robot mount flange on the surgical tool. The surgical tool includes a blade support tip that extends from a first end and a rod that extends from a second end opposite the first end. The rod may include a blunt tip end and an actuation end, where the blunt tip end extends from the second end. Accordingly, the surgical tool may be rotatable about a tool rotation axis between a cutting position disposing the blade support tip in proximity to a target site and a tissue pathway creation position disposing the blunt tip end in proximity to the target site.