Sterile Drape Adapter for Robotic Surgical Arm Positioning
Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic surgical systems face challenges such as high costs, complex preoperative planning, physical intrusiveness, non-intuitive operation, and vulnerability to malfunction or operator error, particularly in precise procedures like spinal surgeries where accurate screw placement is critical.
Innovation Solution
A sterile drape and adapter system for robotic surgical arms that ensures repeatable and rigid positioning, preventing contamination and allowing for precise alignment, while enabling the robotic system to be used in a sterile environment with a hermetically sealed zone, thus enhancing precision and reducing errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a robotic surgical system is used to improve precision, then surgical precision is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to malfunction or operator error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements safety interlocks and power backups as preventive measures before malfunction can occur. These cushioning mechanisms are built into the robotic system to prevent catastrophic failure and provide fallback options during surgical procedures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sterile drape is used to prevent contamination, then sterility is improved, but positioning accuracy may deteriorate due to drape flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a sterile drape made of flexible material that can be tightly stretched over the robotic arm and tool holder interface. This flexible shell maintains sterility while the tensioning mechanism minimizes folds and positioning errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The sterile drape is pre-stretched and secured to the robotic arm before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary action ensures that the drape is taut and properly positioned, minimizing the risk of folds or displacement during surgery.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a hermetically sealed zone is created to maintain sterility, then contamination prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a sterile drape as a flexible barrier that creates a hermetically sealed zone between the non-sterile robotic system and the sterile surgical field. This simple yet effective approach maintains sterility without requiring complex sealing mechanisms.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
Described herein are a sterile drape and adapter for use with a robotic surgical system, for example, during spinal surgery. In certain embodiments, the sterile drape and adapter cover a robotic surgical arm and prevent contamination of a sterile field. The sterile drape may attached to the robotic arm via a sterile adapter that ensures the drape is tightly stretched over the tool holder and robot interface to provide a structure that provides for repeatable and rigid positioning of the sterile drape. Tightly stretching the drape over the sterile adapter and tightening the tool holder to the robotic arm using, for example, a tightening screw, reduces the likelihood of folds in the drape between the told holder and robot interface. Thus, errors between the robot model and the actual situation because of the position of the tool holder relative to the robot interface are minimized.