Method and system for performing invasive medical procedures using a surgical robot

• US 9,078,685 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, David W., DeSanctis-Smith, Regina, Pitt, Alan M., Theodore, Nicholas, Crawford, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOFFA, ANGELA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/542,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20130123799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 600/424
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7076 for driving, positioning or assembling spinal clamps or bone anchors specially adapted for spinal fixation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• 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 2034/2057 Details of tracking cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• 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 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A method and system for performing invasive procedures includes a surgical robot which is controlled by a guidance system that uses time of flight calculations from RF transmitters embedded in the robot, surgical instrument, and patient anatomy. Sensors around the room detect RF transmissions emitted by the RF transmitters and drive the robot according to a preprogrammed trajectory entered into the guidance system.

Claims

1. A system for performing an invasive medical procedure, comprising:

a robot comprising;

an instrument;

an effectuator element, the effectuator element configured to securely hold the instrument at a desired position;

a motor assembly that is configured to move the effectuator element in each one of the x, y and z directions; and

a control unit that is operatively coupled to the robot,

wherein the control unit is configured to transmit signals to the robot to cause the motor assembly to selectively move the effectuator element along the x, y and z directions, the control unit being configured (i) to calculate a position of a transmitter affixed to the instrument by analysis of signals emitted by the transmitter (ii) display a position of the instrument with respect to a patient'"'"'s body based on the calculated position of the transmitter and (iii) to control actuation of the motor assembly

wherein the transmitter is affixed at a desired location of the instrument and the control unit is configured to selectively energize the transmitter to ablate tissue and cause at least a portion of the instrument to move in a desired direction.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the signals transmitted from the transmitter are radiofrequency (RF) signals.

3. A system for performing an invasive medical procedure, comprising:

a robot comprising;

an instrument

an effectuator element, the effectuator element configured to securely hold the instrument that is to be positioned at a desired location;

a motor assembly that that is configured to move the effectuator element in each one of the x, y and z directions and

a control unit that is operatively coupled to the motor assembly, the control unit supplying signals to the robot to cause the motor assembly to selectively move the effectuator element along the x, y and z directions, the control unit being configured (i) to calculate the position of a transmitter affixed to the instrument by analysis of signals emitted by the transmitter (ii) display a position of the instrument with respect to a patient'"'"'s body based on the calculated position of the transmitter and (iii) to control actuation of the motor assembly

wherein the transmitter is affixed at a desired location of the instrument and the control unit is configured to selectively energize the transmitter to ablate tissue and cause at least a portion of the instrument to move in a desired direction.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the transmitter generates a radiofrequency (RF) signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the effectuator element is configured to have three transmitters evenly radially distributed around the effectuator element.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the effectuator element is configured to have three transmitters affixed to a distal end thereof.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the three transmitters is located on a leading edge of the effectuator element.