Robotic Shoulder Arthroplasty with Bone-Density Guided Stemless Implants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic systems for surgery lack precision and accuracy in preparing the shoulder joint for shoulder arthroplasty, particularly when using stemless implants, which require secure placement without a humeral stem for stability.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgery system comprising a robotic manipulator, cutting tool, and localizer that tracks bone movement, using a controller to operate the cutting tool based on a virtual object defined by bone density data to remove material and securely place an eccentric distal projection of the shoulder implant in a region of higher density, ensuring stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a stemless implant is used to spare bone material, then bone removal is reduced and bone preservation is improved, but implant stability and security of placement deteriorate due to lack of humeral stem support
Solution Approach 1:
The system identifies and targets specific regions of higher bone density within the humerus using density mapping, placing the implant eccentric distal projection preferentially in these high-density zones while preserving surrounding lower-density bone material. This localized approach to bone quality assessment enables secure implant placement without extensive bone removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preoperative planning and virtual imaging to identify optimal implant placement locations based on bone density distribution before the actual surgery. This preliminary assessment of bone quality and density allows for precise positioning of the stemless implant to maximize stability while minimizing bone removal during the surgical procedure.
2Manufacturing precision
If robotic systems are used to enhance precision in shoulder arthroplasty, then manufacturing precision and accuracy of implant placement are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system serves as an intermediary between the surgeon's intent and the actual implant placement, providing automated precision control. The system includes a robotic arm with controlled movement capabilities, integrated imaging systems for bone density assessment, and software for virtual surgical planning, which together mediate the complex task of precise stemless implant placement in high-density bone regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system integrates multiple functions including bone density mapping, virtual surgical planning, real-time navigation, and automated cutting guidance into a single platform. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate devices and procedures, managing system complexity while delivering enhanced precision for shoulder arthroplasty.
3Ease of manufacture
If material is removed from the bone to receive the implant, then space for implant placement is created, but bone strength and structural integrity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system selectively removes bone material only in the specific region where the implant will be placed, identified through density mapping as having higher bone density. This localized bone preparation preserves the structural integrity and strength of surrounding bone tissue while creating adequate space for the stemless implant in the targeted high-density region.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial bone removal only to the extent necessary to accommodate the implant, avoiding excessive bone resection. By using robotic precision to remove just the required volume of bone material in the high-density region, the system creates sufficient space for implant placement while maintaining overall bone strength and minimizing structural compromise.
Data Source
AI summary
Robotic systems and methods for robotic arthroplasty. The robotic system includes a machining station and a guidance station. The guidance station tracks movement of various objects in the operating room, such as a surgical tool, a humerus of a patient, and a scapula of the patient. The guidance station tracks these objects for purposes of controlling movement of the surgical tool relative to virtual cutting boundaries or other virtual objects associated with the humerus and scapula to facilitate preparation of bone to receive a shoulder implant system. The virtual objects are located based on density data of the bone such that, when one or more shoulder implants are fully seated in the bone, distal portions of the implants are located in a first region of the bone having a density characteristic greater than an adjacent second region of the bone.