Surgical Tool Insertion Force Feedback for Unexpected Movement Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manual methods for drilling holes in complex bone structures, such as vertebrae, are tedious and prone to unintended movement of surgical instruments due to tool-bone reaction forces, especially at steep angles, affecting surgical precision and success.
Innovation Solution
A robot-assisted surgical system with load cells to monitor forces and moments during instrument insertion, comparing them to predetermined thresholds, and providing notifications for unintended movement, using a surgical robot system with a robot base, arm, end-effector, and load cells to measure and correct deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a surgeon manually holds and positions a drill guide tube using a guidance system, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the process is tedious and time-consuming with reduced precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical positioning system with an automated robotic system. The robotic arm holds and positions the drill guide tube according to pre-calculated trajectories, eliminating the need for the surgeon to manually hold and position the tube throughout the procedure. This substitution of mechanical control with automated robotic control directly addresses both the efficiency and precision contradictions.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system performs the positioning and drilling operations autonomously based on pre-programmed parameters. The system serves itself by automatically navigating the drill guide tube to the correct position and orientation, then executing the drilling operation without continuous manual intervention. This self-service capability improves both surgical efficiency and drilling accuracy.
2Ease of operation
If the drill tip is driven into bone at steep angles, then the surgical procedure can be completed, but the tool-bone reaction force causes the tip to wander or slide away from the intended location
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system incorporates force sensors that continuously monitor the tool-bone reaction forces during drilling. When the drill tip encounters steep angles or unexpected resistance, the system receives feedback about the forces being applied and can automatically adjust the drilling parameters or stop the operation to prevent skiving. This closed-loop feedback control ensures precise penetration even at challenging angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates the optimal drilling trajectory and applies counter-forces through the robotic arm to compensate for expected tool-bone reaction forces before they cause deviation. By anticipating the skiving tendency at steep angles and applying compensatory forces in advance, the system prevents the drill tip from wandering before the problem occurs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple holes are drilled into complex bone structures like vertebrae, then the fusing system can be implemented, but the complex shapes make accurate and perpendicular drilling difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm provides dynamic positioning capabilities that allow the drill guide tube to be precisely oriented at any angle required by the complex bone anatomy. Unlike fixed mechanical guides, the robotic system can dynamically adjust its position and orientation to achieve the exact perpendicular angle needed for each drilling location, regardless of the underlying complex bone shape. This dynamic adaptability maintains high precision across multiple holes in complex structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary planning and calculation of all drilling trajectories before the surgical procedure begins. The optimal paths, angles, and positions for multiple holes in complex bone structures are pre-determined using 3D imaging and computational algorithms. This preliminary action allows the robotic system to execute precise drilling operations without real-time manual adjustment, ensuring accurate hole locations even in complex anatomical geometries.
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
Enhances surgical precision by detecting and preventing unintended instrument movement, improving accuracy and reducing reliance on surgeon dexterity, thus optimizing surgical outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
monitoring one or more forces and one or more moments associated with the insertion force, wherein the monitored forces and moments are measured by one or more load cells of the robot system
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for detecting unexpected movement of a surgical instrument during a robot-assisted surgical procedure are provided. The surgical robot system may be configured to measure forces and torques experienced by the surgical instrument during the surgical procedure and determine if the forces and torques are within an acceptable range. The robot system is further configured to notify the user of the presence of the unexpected movement.