Method for determining the location and orientation of a bone for computer-assisted orthopedic procedures using intraoperatively attached markers

• US 6,430,434 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Think Surgical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Integrated Surgical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Mittelstadt, Brent D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US09/458,358
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 600/411, 600/414, 600/417, 600/426, 600/427, 600/429, 606/130, 128/922, 128/920
• US Class Current: 600/426
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/175 for preparing the femur for hip prosthesis insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/347 Locking means, e.g. for locking instrument in cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

A method for re-registration between a robotic coordinate system and an image data set, said method comprising: providing an image data set that has been registered within a robotic coordinate system based upon an initial bone position within the robotic coordinate system; locating at least three conserved points fixed relative to the initial bone position prior to any detectable change in bone position from the initial bone position; relocating the same three conserved point after bone motion may have occurred to determine the locational change in the three conserved points; and re-register the image data set within the robotic coordinate system based on the locational changes.

Claims

1. A method for re-registration between a robotic coordinate system and an image data set, said method comprising:

provide an image data set that has been registered within a robotic coordinate system based upon an initial bone position within the robotic coordinate system;

locate at least three conserved points fixed relative to the initial bone position prior to any detectable change in bone position from the initial bone position wherein a first conserved point is defined by a first fiducial marker and second and third conserved points are defined by a second fiducial marker;

relocate the first, second and third conserved points after bone motion may have occurred to determine the locational change in any of the first, second and third conserved points; and

re-register the image data set within the robotic coordinate system based on the locational changes.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second fiducial markers is implanted after the image data set has been created.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second fiducial markers is attached intraoperatively to the bone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein locating the three conserved points is accomplished by contacting a distal end of a passive mechanical digitizing arm against each of the three conserved points.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein locating the three conserved points is accomplished by contacting a distal end of a surgical robotic arm against each of the three conserved points.