IP Library Granted Patent US 12661150
Granted Patent B2
US 12661150 · App. 17/661,829 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Methods providing bend plans for surgical rods and related controllers and computer program products

Inventors: Sritam Parashar Rout (Dracut, MA); Norbert Johnson (North Andover, MA); Olivier Chappuis (Lutry, CH); David Cleary (Somerville, MA); Samuel Paster (North Kingstown, RI); Michael Brauckmann (Woburn, MA); Kyle VanLeer (Jeffersonville, PA)
Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
A61B17/7013A61B34/10B21C51/00B21D7/066A61B2017/00199A61B2017/00212A61B2017/00398A61B2034/104A61B2034/105A61B2034/108
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12661150
App. No.
17/661,829
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems providing robotic bending used to bend a surgical rod are disclosed. Such systems may include a processor and memory coupled with the processor. The memory includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations including providing a set of transformation points corresponding to respective attachment implants, generating a bend plan for the surgical rod based on the set of transformation points, and generating an image output to render the set of transformation points and the bend plan on a display. Related methods and computer program products are also discussed.

Claims (54)

1 . A system providing robotic bending used to bend a surgical rod, the system comprising:

the surgical rod;

a bending robot;

a processor operatively coupled to the bending robot; and

memory coupled with the processor wherein the memory includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising,

providing a first and a second set of transformation points corresponding to respective attachment implants,

generating a first bend plan and a second bend plan for the surgical rod based on the first and second set of transformation points,

generating a third bend plan based on a merging of the first and second bend plans,

generating an image output on a display to render the first, second and third bend plans, and

generating instruction to bend the surgical rod based on one or more of the first, second and third bend plans,

wherein the bending robot bends the surgical rod based on one or more of the first, second and third bend plans.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of transformation points comprises an initial set of transformation points corresponding to the attachment implants, wherein the first bend plan comprises an initial bend plan for the surgical rod based on the initial set of transformation points, and wherein the image output comprises an initial image output to render the initial set of transformation points and the initial bend plan on the display, wherein the memory further includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising,

adjusting at least one of the transformation points of the initial set of transformation points responsive to user input to provide an adjusted set of transformation points,

generating an adjusted bend plan for the surgical rod based on the adjusted set of transformation points, and

generating an adjusted image output to render the adjusted set transformation points and the adjusted bend plan on the display.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the adjusted bend plan defines a plurality of bend angles at respective bend positions along the surgical rod, wherein the memory further includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising,

generating instruction to bend the surgical rod based on the adjusted bend plan responsive to user input to accept the adjusted bend plan,

wherein the surgical robot bends the surgical rod based on the adjusted bend plan.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the third bend plan defines a plurality of bend angles at respective bend positions along the surgical rod, wherein the memory further includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising,

generating instruction to bend the surgical rod based on the third bend plan responsive to user input to accept the third bend plan,

wherein the surgical robot bends the surgical rod based on the third bend plan.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein providing the first set of transformation points comprises providing the first set of transformation points based on at least one of optically capturing locations of attachment implants affixed to a patient using a camera, determining locations of actual attachment implants in a medical image, and/or determining locations of virtual attachment implants in a medical image, and wherein providing the second set of transformation points comprises providing the second set of transformation points based on at least one of optically capturing locations of attachment implants affixed to a patient using a camera, determining locations of actual attachment implants in a medical image, and/or determining locations of virtual attachment implants in a medical image.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein providing the set of transformation points comprises providing the set of transformation points based on at least one of optically capturing locations of attachment implants affixed to a patient using a camera, locations of actual attachment implants in a medical image, and/or locations of virtual attachment implants in a medical image.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first bend plan defines a plurality of bend angles at respective bend positions along the surgical rod, wherein the memory further includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising,

generating instruction to bend the surgical rod based on the first bend plan, wherein generating the instruction to bend the surgical rod comprises,

generating instruction to feed the surgical rod to a first bend position of the plurality of bend positions,

generating instruction to bend the surgical rod to a first bend angle of the plurality of bend angles while the surgical rod is maintained at the first bend position,

generating instruction to feed the surgical rod to a second bend position of the plurality of bend positions, and

generating instruction to bend the surgical rod to a second bend angle of the plurality of bend angles while the surgical rod is maintained at the second bend position,

wherein the surgical robot bends the surgical rod based on the first bend plan.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein generating the instruction to bend the surgical rod further comprises,

generating instruction to rotate the surgical rod to a first rotational position before bending the surgical rod to the first bend angle, wherein the surgical rod is bent to the first bend angle while the surgical rod is maintained at the first bend position and the first rotational position, and

generating instruction to rotate the surgical rod to a second rotational position before bending the surgical rod to the second bend angle, wherein the first and second rotational positions are different, and wherein the surgical rod is bent to the second bend angle while the surgical rod is maintained at the second position and the second rotational position.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the memory further includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising,

verifying a shape of the surgical rod based on the first bend plan and based on optical feedback received through a camera after completion of bending the surgical rod at each of the bend positions.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the optical feedback is used to identify a location of at least one point of the rod in space based on a position of a probe tracked using the camera.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the memory further includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising,

determining a springback characteristic for the surgical rod using a sacrificial rod before generating instruction to bend the surgical rod,

wherein the instructions to bend the surgical rod to the first and second bend angles are based on the springback characteristic for the surgical rod.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein determining the springback characteristic using the surgical rod comprises,

generating instruction to bend the sacrificial rod at a first test position to a first test bend angle,

determining a first springback from the first test bend angle,

generating instruction to bend the sacrificial rod at a second test position to a second test bend angle different than the first test bend angle,

determining a second springback from the second test bend angle, and

determining the springback characteristic for the surgical rod based on the first springback from the first test bend angle and the second springback from the second test bend angle.

13 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the memory further includes computer readable program code so that when the computer readable program code is executed by the processor, the processor performs operations comprising,

generating instruction to cut the surgical rod after completion of bending the surgical rod at each of the bend positions.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein each of the transformation points of the set corresponds to a respective attachment implant, wherein generating in the instruction to bend the surgical rod further comprises,

generating instruction to feed the surgical rod to a final bend position after a last of the transformation points for the first bend plan, and

generating instruction to bend the surgical rod to a final bend angle while the surgical rod is maintained at the final bend position, wherein the final bend angle is configured to provide a stop with respect to the attachment implant corresponding to the last of the transformation points,

wherein the instruction to cut the surgical rod comprises an instruction to cut the surgical rod after completion of bending the surgical rod to the final bend angle.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the image output comprises generating the image output to render the set of transformation points and the first bend plan in a first plane on a first portion of the display and to render the set of transformation points and the bend plan in a second plane on a second portion of the display, wherein the first and second planes are different.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first and second planes are orthogonal.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the image output comprises generating the image output to render the set of transformation points and the bend plan together with a medical image on the display.