Robotic surgical system and method
Inventors
Bono, Peter L. • Lark, James D. • Scales, John S. • Lord, Thomas J
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12465445-B2
Publication Date
2025-11-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus, system and method for providing robotically assisted surgery that involves the removal of bone or non-fibrous type tissues during a surgical procedure, in particular with assistance from real-time ultrasound images from an ultrasound probe. The system utilizes a multi-axis robot having a reciprocating tool that is constructed and arranged to remove hard or non-fibrous tissues while leaving soft tissues unharmed. The multi-axis robot may be controlled via computer or telemanipulator, which allows the surgeon to complete a surgery from an area adjacent to the patient to thousands of miles away.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to robotically assisted surgery using a multi-axis robot to guide surgical action with medical images and ultrasound images. The method creates and stores a medical image that includes a portion of the patient and a plurality of radiopaque fiducial points, and creates and stores an ultrasound image during surgery. The medical image and the ultrasound image are displayed on a monitor to provide a view of a surgical sight of the patient while operating with a surgical tool attached to an end effector tool holder controlled by the computer.
A central innovation is computer-controlled registration between the medical image and the ultrasound image using the radiopaque fiducial points. The method includes operating the computer to adjust the position of the medical image to the ultrasound image for alignment, and displaying the medical image and the ultrasound image such that the overlaid images include at least a portion of the surgical sight of the patient and the fiducial points. This alignment supports viewing the displayed images while operating on the patient with the robot and the surgical tool.
The described system further integrates ultrasound visualization with multi-axis robotic cutting and operating in an orthopedic/spine context. A reciprocating or oscillating surgical tool removes bone and non-fibrous tissue while minimizing damage to soft fibrous tissue, with real-time ultrasound imaging for intraoperative visualization. The ultrasound probe is integrated with the robot and coordinated with imaging registration using fiducial point devices, and an automatic tool changer is used to switch between the ultrasound probe and surgical tools, including an optional two-robot configuration for simultaneous ultrasound and cutting with collision coordination and coordinated tool trajectories.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims: clm-00001 and clm-00018. Across these, the inventive features concentrate on computer-controlled image creation and display with radiopaque fiducial points and ultrasound, plus alignment and overlay for display while operating the multi-axis robot with a releasably retained surgical tool.
Computer-controlled medical and ultrasound image creation and storage
creating, from a medical imaging device, a medical image and storing the medical image in a computer, the stored medical image containing a portion of the patient and a plurality of radiopaque fiducial points; creating from an ultrasound probe an ultrasound image of at least a portion of the patient during surgery and storing the ultrasound image in the computer;
Releasably retained surgical tool on a computer-controlled multi-axis robot
positioning a multi-axis robot adjacent the patient, the robot having a plurality of interconnected arms movable relative to one another; an end effector attached to the arms and having a tool holder configured to releasably retain at least one surgical tool, wherein the computer is configured to control movement of the arms; operating on the patient with the robot having the surgical tool attached to the tool holder while viewing the displayed medical and ultrasound images.
Displaying medical and ultrasound images on a monitor
displaying the medical image and the ultrasound image on a monitor coupled to the computer, the displayed medical and ultrasound images including at least a portion of a surgical sight of the patient;
Fiducial-point alignment between medical image and ultrasound image for display
computer being operable to adjust the position of the medical image to the ultrasound image using the fiducial points for alignment with respect to each other;
Overlaying medical and ultrasound images and operating while viewing overlaid images
overlaying the first image and the second image; overlaying the medical image and the ultrasound image and displaying the overlaid images on a monitor coupled to the computer, the overlaid images including at least a portion of a surgical sight of the patient and the fiducial points; and operating on the patient with the robot having the surgical tool attached to the tool holder while viewing the displayed overlaid images.
Across the independent claims, the main inventive coverage is creating and storing a medical image with radiopaque fiducial points and creating and storing an ultrasound image during surgery, displaying medical and ultrasound images and, in clm-00018, overlaying and aligning them using fiducial points, and operating a computer-controlled multi-axis robot with a surgical tool releasably retained by an end effector while viewing the displayed images.
Stated Advantages
Minimizing damage to soft fibrous tissue while removing bone and non-fibrous tissue.
Provides real-time ultrasound images for intraoperative visualization during robot operation.
Documented Applications
Robotically assisted orthopedic/spine surgical procedures that remove bone and non-fibrous tissue while minimizing damage to soft fibrous tissue, using real-time ultrasound imaging for intraoperative visualization.
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