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Instrument guidance system for spinal and other surgery

  • US 6,546,277 B1
  • Filed: 05/24/1999
  • Issued: 04/08/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for positioning a surgical instrument during stereotactic surgery on a body, the body having been previously scanned to produce a three-dimensional image of the body which includes a target, the method comprising:

  • attaching a mounting device to a bone structure of the body;

    registering the mounting device including tracking a location of the mounting device, and locating a plurality of fiducial points on the body in relation to the mounting device;

    providing an adjustable guidance fixture that includes a base and an instrument guide adjustably coupled to the base for guiding the surgical instrument along a constrained trajectory relative to the instrument guide, said guidance fixture enabling a plurality of constrained adjustments of the instrument guide relative to the base;

    tracking a location and orientation of the instrument guide and computing a position of the constrained trajectory in the three-dimensional image;

    fixing the base of the guidance fixture to the mounting device;

    adjusting the guidance fixture relative to the mounting device including adjusting the guidance fixture using a first of the constrained adjustments and then adjusting the guidance fixture using a second of the constrained adjustments, so that the constrained trajectory of the instrument guide passes through the target;

    driving the surgical instrument along the constrained trajectory toward the target; and

    removing the mounting device from the bone structure.

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