ACTIVE BED MOUNT FOR SURGICAL ROBOT

• US 20140316436A1
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazor Robotics, Ltd (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Mazor Robotics, Ltd (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Zehavi, Eli, Shoham, Moshe, Groberman, David, Bar, Yossef
• Granted Patent: US 9,713,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1757 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/571 for clamping a support arm to a bed or other supports
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/32 operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

A robotic surgical system incorporating a surgical robot attached to a patient'"'"'s bone by an attachment member, such that motion of the bone induces corresponding motion of the robot, maintaining the robot/bone positional relationship. The robot is supported on a mechanical mounting member attached through a controlled joint to a bed-mounted base element. The controlled joint can alternatively enable the mechanical mounting member to move freely relative to the base element, or its position can be controlled by signal inputs adapted to prevent excessive force being applied in the system. Two modes of operation are available (i) free motion in which the control system is decoupled from the mounting member, which rides freely with patient bone motion, and (ii) servo-controlled motion, in which drive mechanisms control the joint motion to prevent application of excessive force on the patient bone or attachment member.

Claims

1. A system for performing an orthopedic operation on a subject, said system comprising:

a mechanical mounting member adapted to support a surgical tool guide for use in operating on the subject;

a support member rigidly positioned relative to the bed on which the subject is lying, said mechanical mounting member being attached to said support member by a moveable element;

a bone attachment element adapted to attach said mechanical mounting member to a bone of the subject in the region where said orthopedic operation is to be performed, such that said mechanical mounting member and its supported tool guide can move with motion of said bone of said subject;

a force sensor associated with said bone attachment element, said force sensor adapted to output a force signal in accordance with the force exerted on said bone attachment element; and

control circuitry receiving said force signal and adapted, when said force exceeds a predetermined threshold level, to output a drive signal to actuate motion of said moveable element such that said mechanical mounting member moves in a direction to reduce the level of said force.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said moveable element comprises a linear motion slide, such that said mechanical mounting element can move translationally relative to said support member.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said moveable element comprises an angular pivot joint, such that said mechanical mounting element can pivot relative to said support member.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said tool guide is mounted directly on said mechanical mounting member.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said tool guide is mounted on a robot attached to said mechanical mounting member.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said robot comprises a serial arrangement of controlled articulated arms attached to said mechanical mounting member.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said movable element is adapted to enable said tool guide to rise and fall together with vertical motion of said bone of the subject when said controlled motion drive is not actuated.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said bone attachment element is a K-wire.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said motion of said moveable element is actuated through a controlled motion drive.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein said controlled motion drive is set in a free-running condition when said force is less than said predetermined threshold level, such that said mechanical mounting member can move freely with motion of said bone.

11. A method of performing orthopedic surgery on a subject, comprising:

supporting a surgical tool guide on a mechanical mounting member, for use in performing said surgery;

attaching an end of said mechanical mounting member remote from said tool guide, to a support member rigidly positioned relative to the bed on which the subject is lying, by means of a moveable element;

attaching a bone attachment element between said mechanical mounting member and a bone of the subject in the region where said orthopedic surgery is to be performed, such that mechanical mounting member and said tool guide can move together with movement of said bone of the subject;

measuring the force present in said bone attachment element; and

if said force exceeds a predetermined threshold level, moving said moveable element such that said mechanical mounting member moves in a direction to reduce the level of said force

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said moveable element comprises a linear motion slide, such that said mechanical mounting element can move translationally relative to said support member.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said moveable element comprises an angular pivot joint, such that said mechanical mounting element can pivot relative to said support member.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein said tool guide is mounted directly on said mechanical mounting member.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein said tool guide is mounted on a robot attached to said mechanical mounting member.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said robot comprises a serial arrangement of controlled articulated arms attached to said mechanical mounting member.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein said movable element enables said tool guide to rise and fall together with vertical motion of said bone of the subject when said controlled motion drive is not actuated.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein said bone attachment element is a K-wire.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein said moving of said moveable element is performed by means of a controlled motion drive.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said controlled motion drive is set in a free-running condition when said force is less than said predetermined threshold level, such that said mechanical mounting member can move freely with motion of said bone.

21. A system for performing surgery on a subject, said system comprising:

a mechanical mounting member adapted to support a surgical tool guide for use in operating on the subject;

a support member rigidly positioned relative to the bed on which the subject is lying, said mechanical mounting member being attached to said support member by a moveable element;

a tissue attachment element adapted to attach said mechanical mounting member to a tissue of the subject in the region where said surgery is to be performed, such that said mechanical mounting member and its supported tool guide can move with motion of said tissue of said subject;

a force sensor associated with said tissue attachment element, said force sensor adapted to output a force signal in accordance with the force exerted on said tissue attachment element; and

control circuitry receiving said force signal and adapted, when said force exceeds a predetermined threshold level, to output a drive signal to actuate motion of said moveable element such that said mechanical mounting member moves in a direction to reduce the level of said force.

22. (canceled)