Robotic system and method for reorienting a surgical instrument moving along a tool path

• US 10,426,560 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Bowling, David Gene, Stuart, John Michael, Beer, Joel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Tamara L
• Application Number:
  US15/595,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20170245955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/16 Bone cutting, breaking or removal means other than saws, e.g. Osteoclasts; Drills or chisels for bones; Trepans arthroscopic bone cutters A61B17/320016; dental implant drills potentially for other surgical use A61C8/0089; bone grinders A61F2/4644, A22C17/06; A61B17/1662 takes precedence over all other subgroups except A61B17/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00565 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2046 Tracking techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/066 for measuring torque
• 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 34/32 operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/00 Controls for manipulators programme controls B25J9/16; control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/085 Force or torque sensors B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/009 being mechanically linked with one another at their distal ends
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40191 Autonomous manipulation, computer assists operator during manipulation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45117 Medical, radio surgery manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

Robotic system and method for positioning an energy applicator extending from a surgical instrument. The robotic system includes a surgical manipulator operable in a manual mode or a semi-autonomous mode. The surgical manipulator moves the energy applicator along a tool path in the semi-autonomous mode and reorients the surgical instrument.

Claims

1. A surgical manipulator comprising:

a surgical instrument and an energy applicator extending from said surgical instrument, and wherein said surgical instrument and said energy applicator define a common axis; and

at least one controller configured to;

model said surgical instrument and said energy applicator as a virtual rigid body;

define a reference surface aperture in a reference surface;

determine forces and torques to be applied to the virtual rigid body to maintain the common axis within the reference surface aperture;

reposition said surgical instrument, based on the forces and torques, to maintain the common axis within the reference surface aperture; and

dynamically change a shape of the reference surface aperture.

2. The surgical manipulator of claim 1, wherein said at least one controller is configured to define the reference surface to be located above a distal end of said energy applicator.

3. The surgical manipulator of claim 2, wherein said at least one controller is configured to define the reference surface aperture to have a radius of between two centimeters and five centimeters in the reference surface.

4. The surgical manipulator of claim 2, wherein said at least one controller is configured to define the reference surface aperture around a point where the common axis intersects the reference surface.

5. The surgical manipulator of claim 4, wherein said at least one controller is configured to determine the forces and torques to be applied to the virtual rigid body so that the common axis moves towards a centering point of the reference surface aperture.

6. The surgical manipulator of claim 5, wherein said at least one controller determines the forces and torques to be applied to the virtual rigid body by determining an intersection point along the common axis that intersects the reference surface and by determining a distance from the intersection point to the centering point.

7. The surgical manipulator of claim 2, wherein the reference surface is further defined as a first reference surface, and said at least one controller is configured to define a second reference surface located in a different position than the first reference surface.

8. The surgical manipulator of claim 7, wherein the reference surface aperture is further defined as a first reference surface aperture, and said at least one controller is configured to define a second reference surface aperture in the second reference surface, the second reference aperture having a width greater than a width of the first reference surface aperture.

9. The surgical manipulator of claim 1, wherein said at least one controller is configured to determine the forces and torques to be applied to the virtual rigid body based on a location of the reference surface aperture.

10. The surgical manipulator of claim 1, wherein the reference surface aperture is defined by a user with a navigation pointer.

11. The surgical manipulator of claim 1, wherein the reference surface aperture is defined based on locations of markers attached to the patient.

12. The surgical manipulator of claim 11, wherein said markers define a perimeter of the reference surface aperture.

13. The surgical manipulator of claim 12, wherein said markers are configured to be monitored by a navigation system and said at least one controller is configured to dynamically change a shape of the reference surface aperture.

14. The surgical manipulator of claim 1, wherein said at least one controller is configured to operate said surgical manipulator in a semi-autonomous mode to move said energy applicator along a tool path.

15. A method for operating a system comprising at least one controller and a surgical manipulator including a surgical instrument and an energy applicator extending from the surgical instrument, and wherein the surgical instrument and the energy applicator define a common axis, said method comprising the at least one controller performing the steps of:

modeling the surgical instrument and the energy applicator as a virtual rigid body;

defining a reference surface aperture in a reference surface;

determining forces and torques to be applied to the virtual rigid body to maintain the common axis within the reference surface aperture;

repositioning the surgical instrument, based on the forces and torques, for maintaining the common axis within the reference surface aperture; and

dynamically changing a shape of the reference surface aperture.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the at least one controller defining the reference surface to be located above a distal end of the energy applicator.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the at least one controller defining the reference surface aperture around a point where the common axis intersects the reference surface.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the at least one controller determining the forces and torques to be applied to the virtual rigid body so that the common axis moves towards a centering point of the reference surface aperture.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the at least one controller determining the forces and torques to be applied to the virtual rigid body by:

determining an intersection point along the common axis that intersects the reference surface; and

determining a distance from the intersection point to the centering point.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the reference surface is further defined as a first reference surface and wherein the reference surface aperture is further defined as a first reference surface aperture, and further comprising the at least one controller:

defining a second reference surface located in a different position than the first reference surface; and

defining a second reference surface aperture in the second reference surface, the second reference aperture having a width greater than a width of the first reference surface aperture.