Surgical Manipulator Boundary Generation for Implant Fit
Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic surgical systems face challenges in accurately aligning and placing orthopedic joint components due to dimensional stack-up errors, which can lead to imperfect fits and increased surgical complexity, despite advancements in robotic precision and navigation systems.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system with a surgical manipulator and navigation system that uses a boundary generator module to position an energy applicator based on implant parameters, ensuring precise fitting by generating boundaries between tissues that the applicator should contact and avoid, utilizing data from post-manufacture implant measurements to guide the surgical instrument's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If robotic surgical systems are used to improve positioning precision, then positioning accuracy is improved, but dimensional stack-up errors from multiple joint components still cause alignment errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters used for surgical planning by incorporating actual post-manufacture measurements of the implant components into the boundary generation process. This allows the surgical plan to account for the specific dimensional characteristics of the actual components being used, rather than relying on nominal or average dimensions, thereby resolving the alignment accuracy issue despite robotic positioning precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple joint components are assembled to achieve proper fit, then adaptability is improved, but dimensional stack-up errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by using actual post-manufacture measurements of the implant components to generate patient-specific boundaries. This feedback loop allows the surgical planning to incorporate real dimensional data from the assembled components, compensating for dimensional stack-up errors and ensuring proper alignment accuracy while maintaining the adaptability to use different component combinations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional surgical methods with manual positioning are used, then adaptability to component variations is maintained, but positioning precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by generating patient-specific boundaries before surgery using actual implant measurements. This pre-surgical preparation incorporates all component variation data into the surgical plan, allowing the robotic system to execute with high precision while the boundaries provide adaptability to component variations. The preliminary generation of accurate boundaries resolves both the precision and adaptability requirements.
4Manufacturing precision
If robotic machining tolerances are reduced to compensate for dimensional stack-up, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary element - the patient-specific boundaries generated from actual implant measurements - that mediates between the robotic positioning system and the implant components. This intermediary allows the use of standard robotic machining tolerances while achieving high alignment accuracy, avoiding the need for reduced tolerances and the associated increase in system complexity and cost.
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for controlling a surgical manipulator to apply an energy applicator to a patient. The surgical manipulator cooperates with a navigation system to position the energy applicator with respect to a boundary so that the energy applicator is constrained from moving outside the boundary. The boundary is generated based on implant parameters measured after manufacture of the implant.