System for neuronavigation registration and robotic trajectory guidance, robotic surgery, and related methods and devices
A system for robotic surgery makes use of an end-effector which has been configured so that any selected one of a group of surgical tools may be selectively connected to such end-effector. The end-effector makes use of a tool-insert locking mechanism which secures a selected one of the surgical tools at not only a respective, predetermined height and angle of orientation, but also at a rotational position relative to an anatomical feature of the patient. The tool-insert locking mechanism may include interchangeable inserts to interconnect multiple tools to the same end-effector. In this way, different robotic operations may be accomplished with less reconfiguration of the end-effector. The end-effector may also include a tool stop which has a sensor associated with a moveable stop mechanism which may be positioned to selectively inhibit tool insertion or end-effector movement.
1. A surgical robot system for surgery on an anatomical feature of a patient, the system comprising:
a surgical robot;
a robot arm connected to the surgical robot;
an end-effector connected to the robot arm and orientable to oppose the anatomical feature so as to be in operative proximity thereto;
a plurality of surgical tools, each of the tools selectively connectable to the end-effector;
a processor circuit;
a memory accessible by the processor circuit and comprising machine-readable instructions configured to cause, when executed, the end-effector to move relative to the anatomical feature;
a tool-insert locking mechanism located on and connected to the end-effector and configured to secure any selected one of the plurality of surgical tools at a respective, predetermined height, angle of orientation, and rotational position relative to the anatomical feature of the patient; and
a tool stop located on and connected to the end-effector and having a stop mechanism and a sensor;
wherein the stop mechanism is configured to be selectively moveable between an engaged position to prevent any of the tools from being connected to the end-effector and a disengaged position to permit any of the tools to be selectively connected to the end-effector;
wherein the sensor is configured to detect the positions of the stop mechanism; and
wherein, in response to detection of the disengaged position, the sensor causes the processor to execute instructions to prevent movement of the end-effector relative to the anatomical feature.
2. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the end-effector comprises opposite proximal and distal surfaces;
wherein the tool-insert locking mechanism is located on and connected to the proximal surface of the end-effector;
wherein the tool stop is located on and connected to the distal surface of the end-effector;
wherein the end-effector comprises a cylindrical bore extending between the proximal and distal surfaces;
wherein the tool stop and the tool-insert locking mechanism each have circular apertures axially aligned with the bore; and
wherein the apertures and the bore are adapted to receive therethrough any selected one of the plurality of surgical tools.
3. The system of claim 2 ,
wherein the stop mechanism includes a ring axially aligned with the bore, the ring being selectively, manually rotatable so as to move the stop mechanism between the engaged position and the disengaged position.
4. The system of claim 3 ,
wherein the stop mechanism includes a detent mechanism located on and mounted to the ring, the detent mechanism configured to lock the ring against rotational movement when the stop mechanism is in the engaged position;
wherein the detent mechanism is manually actuatable to unlock the ring to permit the ring to be manually rotated to cause the stop mechanism to move from the engaged position to the disengaged position.
5. The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the tool stop further comprises a lever arm pivotally mounted adjacent the apertures of the tool stop;
wherein the lever arm is operatively connected to the stop mechanism to close the apertures of the tool stop in response to the stop mechanism being in the engaged position, thereby preventing attachment of the tools to the end-effector, and to open the apertures of the tool stop in response to the stop mechanism being in the disengaged position, thereby permitting movement of the end-effector and attachment of a selected one of the tools to the end-effector.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the distal surface of the end-effector comprises a distal plane, and wherein the lever arm is pivotable in the distal plane to close the apertures of the tool stop sufficiently to prevent insertion of any of the plurality of the surgical tools distally past the distal plane.
7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the end-effector further comprises at least one illumination element mounted on the distal surface at a location spaced from the tool stop to illuminate the anatomical feature substantially without obstruction of illumination from any of the plurality of tools when received in the tool-insert locking mechanism.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor and at least one magnet, the Hall Effect sensor and the magnet located and movable relative to each other to generate respective magnetic fields detectable by the sensor and corresponding to the engaged position and the disengaged position, respectively.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool-insert locking mechanism includes a connector configured to mate with and secure the any selected one of the plurality of tools at their respective height, angle of orientation, and rotational position relative to the anatomical feature of the patient.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the connector comprises a rotatable flange with a slot adapted to receive therethrough a corresponding tongue associated with the selected one of the plurality of tools.
11. The system of claim 10 ,
wherein the rotatable flange comprises a collar having a proximally oriented surface and multiple slots radially spaced on the proximally oriented surface, the multiple slots configured to receive therethrough corresponding tongues associated with the selected one of the plurality of tools; and
wherein the slots and corresponding tongues are arranged to permit securing of the selected one of the plurality of tools when in the predetermined angle of orientation and rotational position relative to the anatomical feature of the patient.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rotatable flange is adapted to be manually rotatable between an open and a closed position, the open position permitting the corresponding tongue to be received through the slot, and the closed position bringing a portion of the rotatable flange into engagement with the corresponding tongue after being received in the slot to secure the selected one of the tools at the respective, predetermined height, angle of orientation, and rotational position relative to the anatomical feature of the patient.
13. The system of claim 10 , further comprising an adapter configured to interconnect at least one of the plurality of surgical tools and the end-effector.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the corresponding tongue associated with the selected one of the plurality of tools is located on and mounted to the adapter;
wherein the adapter further includes a tool receiver adapted to connect the selected one of the tools to the adapter, whereby, when the corresponding tongue is received in the slot of the rotatable flange and the selected one of the tools is connected to the tool receiver, the selected one of the tools is secured at the respective, predetermined height, angle of orientation, and rotational position relative to the anatomical feature.
15. The system of claim 14 ,
wherein the rotatable flange has an inner perimeter defined by an inner perimeter edge and the adapter has an outer perimeter defined by an outer perimeter edge, the dimensions of the inner perimeter edge and the outer perimeter edge selected so that the edges oppose each other when the adapter is received in the rotatable flange;
wherein the adapter extends between proximal and distal ends, the adapter being secured relative to the rotatable flange at the distal end; and
wherein the tool receiver comprises a bore extending between the proximal and distal ends, the bore sized to receive at least one of the plurality of surgical tools therethrough.
16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of the adapters, the adapters configured to be interchangeable inserts having substantially the same, predetermined outer perimeter receivable within the inner perimeter of the rotatable flange;
wherein the interchangeable adapters have bores of different, respective diameters selected to receive corresponding ones of the plurality of tools therein.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the inner perimeter of the rotatable flange and the outer perimeter of the adapter are circular and have central, aligned axes and corresponding radii; and
wherein the slot of the rotatable flange extends radially outwardly from the central axis of the rotatable flange and the tongue of the adapter extends radially outwardly from the axis of the adapter.
18. A surgical robot for surgery on an anatomical feature of a patient, the system comprising:
a robot arm;
an end-effector connected to the robot arm and orientable to oppose the anatomical feature so as to be in operative proximity thereto;
a processor circuit;
a memory accessible by the processor circuit and comprising machine-readable instructions configured to cause, when executed, the end-effector to move relative to the anatomical feature;
a tool-insert locking mechanism located on and connected to the end-effector and configured to secure one of a plurality of surgical tools at a respective, predetermined height, angle of orientation, and rotational position relative to the anatomical feature of the patient; and
a tool stop located on and connected to the end-effector and having a stop mechanism and a sensor;
wherein the stop mechanism is configured to be selectively moveable between an engaged position to prevent any of the tools from being connected to the end-effector and a disengaged position to permit any of the tools to be selectively connected to the end-effector;
wherein the sensor is configured to detect the positions of the stop mechanism; and
wherein, in response to detection of the disengaged position, the sensor causes the processor to execute instructions to prevent movement of the end-effector relative to the anatomical feature.
19. The surgical robot of claim 18 ,
wherein the end-effector comprises opposite proximal and distal surfaces;
wherein the tool-insert locking mechanism is located on and connected to the proximal surface of the end-effector;
wherein the tool stop is located on and connected to the distal surface of the end-effector;
wherein the end-effector comprises a cylindrical bore extending between the proximal and distal surfaces;
wherein the tool stop and the tool-insert locking mechanism each have circular apertures axially aligned with the bore; and
wherein the apertures and the bore are adapted to receive therethrough any one of the plurality of surgical tools.
20. The surgical robot of claim 18 , wherein the sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor and at least one magnet, the Hall Effect sensor and the magnet located and movable relative to each other to generate respective magnetic fields detectable by the sensor and corresponding to the engaged position and the disengaged position, respectively.