System and method for augmentation of surgery

• US 6,231,526 B1
• Filed: 12/08/1999
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Taylor, Russell Highsmith, Kim, Yong-yil
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US09/456,645
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/595, 128/897
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00203 with speech control or speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3916 Bone tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3945 Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/5025 with a counter-balancing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/0275 Universal joints, e.g. Hooke, Cardan, ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/04 by rotating at least one arm, excluding the head movement itself, e.g. cylindrical coordinate type or polar coordinate type
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37074 : Projection device, monitor, track tool, workpiece form, process on display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40418 : Presurgical planning, on screen indicate regions to be operated on
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40609 : Camera to monitor end effector as well as object to be handled
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45123 : Electrogoniometer, neuronavigator, medical robot used by surgeon to operate
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45166 : Tomography

Abstract

The system and method includes a manipulator for manipulating a surgical instrument relative to a patient'"'"'s body and, a position sensor for sensing the position of the surgical instrument relative to the patient'"'"'s body. The manipulator can be manually or computer actuated and can have brakes to limit movement. In a preferred embodiment, orthogonal only motion between members of the manipulator is provided. The position sensor includes beacons connected to the patient and manipulator or surgical instrument and, a three dimensional beacon sensor adapted to sense the location and position of the beacons. Redundant joint sensors on the manipulator may also be provided. The system and method uses a computer to actively interact with the surgeon and can use various different input and output devices and modes.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a surgeon in positioning a first portion of a patient'"'"'s body relative to a second portion of the patient'"'"'s body during surgery, comprising steps of:

associating perceivable targets with at least the first and second portions of the patient'"'"'s body;

determining the positions of the targets on the patient relative to either (a) each other or (b) a third portion of the patient'"'"'s body;

moving the first portion of the patient'"'"'s body relative to the second portion; and

sensing movement of the targets as the first portion of the patient'"'"'s body is moved relative to the second portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the perceivable target is visually perceivable.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visually perceivable targets comprise blinking lights.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the position of the first portion corresponds to a predetermined desired position of the first portion; and

providing an indication to the user when the position of the first portion corresponds to the predetermined desired position.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein moving the first portion of the patient'"'"'s body relative to the second portion comprises:

moving the first portion in a first decoupled degree of freedom of movement relative to the second portion until the first portion reaches a predetermined position relative to the second portion or the third portion in that first degree of freedom, and

moving the first portion in a second decoupled degree of freedom of movement relative to the second portion until the first portion reaches a predetermined position relative to the second portion or the third portion in that second degree of freedom.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein moving the first portion of the patient'"'"'s body relative to the second portion comprises:

moving the first portion in a first decoupled degree of freedom of movement relative to the second portion until the first portion reaches a predetermined position relative to the second portion or the third portion in that first degree of freedom, and

moving the first portion in a second decoupled degree of freedom of movement relative to the second portion until the first portion reaches a predetermined position relative to the second portion or the third portion in that second degree of freedom.

7. A robotic surgical system for aligning portions of a patient'"'"'s body during surgery, comprising:

a plurality of targets attached to at least first and second portions of the patient'"'"'s body;

an optical sensor for sensing the positions of the first and second portions by sensing the positions of the targets;

a computer for computing the relative positons of the first and second portions based on information from the optical sensor; and

a mechanism for moving the first portion relative to the second portion in decoupled degrees of freedom.