Surgical Tool Haptic Feedback for Hip Implant Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic surgical systems are not optimally suited for hip replacement surgery, which requires the use of multiple surgical tools with different functions, configurations, and weights, leading to complexity and increased procedure time. Additionally, hip replacement surgery demands precise angular orientation of surgical tools and implants to avoid post-operative complications such as joint dislocation and accelerated wear.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system that includes a surgical tool configured to engage a prosthetic component, a force system to provide force to the surgical tool, and a controller programmed to compare a target pose of the prosthetic component with its actual pose and generate control signals to allow movement within a defined range while providing haptic feedback to constrain movement beyond that range, ensuring accurate alignment and positioning of the prosthetic component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a robotic system is designed to accommodate multiple surgical tools with different functions, configurations, and weights, then the system becomes more versatile for hip replacement surgery, but the device complexity increases and procedure time increases due to removing and attaching different tools
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate multiple surgical tools (cutting tools, reamers, impactors) with different functions. The end effector can be quickly exchanged between tools without requiring complex reconfiguration of the robotic arm itself, allowing one robotic system to perform multiple surgical tasks including cutting, reaming, and implantation.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical system is divided into separate modular components: the robotic arm, the end effector, and interchangeable surgical tools. This segmentation allows the robotic arm to remain simple while the end effector and tools provide the necessary functionality. Each tool can be independently selected and attached to the end effector, reducing the complexity of the main robotic system while maintaining versatility.
2Manufacturing precision
If a robotic system provides haptic feedback to constrain movement beyond a virtual boundary, then the precision of bone cutting is improved, but the ease of operation decreases as the surgeon loses direct manual control
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm incorporates haptic feedback mechanisms that detect when the surgical tool approaches or exceeds the predefined virtual boundary. Force feedback is applied to the surgeon's hand through the robotic arm, providing tactile sensation that indicates proximity to the boundary or violation thereof. This feedback loop enables real-time guidance without completely restricting the surgeon's manual control, allowing intuitive operation while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the robotic arm completely controlling the surgical tool's movement through automated programming, the system inverts the control paradigm by using haptic feedback to guide the surgeon's manual movements. The robotic arm responds to the surgeon's inputs while providing corrective forces, effectively using the surgeon's own manual control combined with robotic guidance rather than replacing manual control entirely.
3Manufacturing precision
If the robotic arm is designed for highly accurate and precise operation, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to damage from high impact forces during implantation
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical tool is segmented into two functional parts: a precision robotic arm for positioning and guidance, and a separate impactor component for delivering implantation forces. The impactor is designed to withstand high impact loads independently, while the robotic arm maintains its precision for positioning. This separation allows the robotic arm to remain lightweight and precise without being compromised by impact forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector acts as an intermediary component between the robotic arm and the surgical tool/implant. It provides a transition zone that decouples the precision positioning function from the high-force impact function. The end effector can be designed with features that allow force dissipation and protection of the robotic arm while still enabling precise positioning control during the implantation process.
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
The system enables precise and accurate positioning of prosthetic components during hip replacement surgery, reducing the risk of post-operative complications and improving the efficiency of the surgical procedure by minimizing the complexity of tool management and ensuring proper alignment.
Implementation Method 1
provide haptic feedback to constrain a user's ability to manually move the surgical tool beyond the range of movement
Data Source
AI summary
A method for a computer-assisted surgical system includes tracking a movement of a robot, determining a current pose of an implant cup based on the movement of the robot, and guiding cup impaction by virtually overlaying a representation of the implant cup on a displayed bone in accordance with the current pose of the implant cup.