Sensorized Surgical Guide for Robotic Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

During surgeries, accessing target areas within the body can be challenging due to the presence of vital arteries and organs, requiring precise navigation and posing a risk to patients, necessitating a safer and more efficient surgical assistance tool.

Innovation Solution

A robot-assisted sensorized surgical guide system that includes a radiological imaging device, a robotic arm, and a sensorized surgical guide attached to the arm, which measures the translation and rotation of surgical instruments along an axis of intervention, providing real-time feedback and guidance to surgeons using a graphical user interface and navigation software.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a robotic arm with sensorized surgical guide is used to navigate to target areas, then measurement precision of surgical instrument position and orientation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical guide system is divided into separate functional modules: a robotic arm for positioning, a sensorized surgical guide for measurement, and a force sensor for detecting forces. Each module can be independently calibrated and maintained, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sensorized surgical guide acts as an intermediary between the robotic arm and the surgical instrument. This guide measures the position and orientation of the surgical instrument relative to the robotic arm, enabling precise navigation without requiring the robotic arm to directly control the instrument's orientation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If real-time monitoring and feedback are provided during surgery, then reliability of surgical procedure is improved, but use of energy by moving object increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiduse of energy by moving object
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the position, orientation, and forces during the surgical procedure and provides real-time feedback to the surgeon. This feedback loop enhances reliability by allowing immediate correction of any deviations from the planned trajectory, while the monitoring itself consumes energy from the robotic arm's power source.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If precise navigation around vital arteries and organs is performed, then manufacturing precision of surgical outcome is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveprecisionVSAvoidrisk of injury
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-planning the surgical trajectory and pre-positioning the robotic arm and surgical guide before the actual incision is made. The force sensor detects any contact with vital structures in advance, allowing the surgeon to adjust the trajectory before causing injury, thus achieving precise navigation while minimizing harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Real-time force feedback from the sensorized surgical guide allows the surgeon to feel and detect contact with vital arteries or organs, enabling immediate adjustment of the surgical instrument's position to avoid injury while maintaining precise navigation through the target area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3697290B1Robot-assisted surgical guide system for performing surgery
Publication Date: 2023.03.01 EPICA INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP3697290B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3697290B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3697290B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

A surgical system includes a bed extending along a main direction, a robotic arm disposed adjacent to the bed, and a surgical guide attached to the robotic arm. The bed has a table top to support a patient, the robotic arm is controllable to move in relation to the body of the patient; and the surgical guide is capable of holding a surgical instrument and measuring a translation of the surgical instrument as it moves through the surgical guide. The robotic arm is configured to position the surgical guide to a desired position in relation to a target area of the patient.