Surgical system for cutting an anatomical structure according to at least one target cutting plane

1. A computer-assisted surgical system, comprising:

an end effector having an attached tracker;

an actuation unit for adjusting a position and orientation of the end effector, wherein the actuation unit has at least three motorized degrees of freedom;

a passive planar mechanism connecting the actuation unit to the end effector; and

a control unit configured to:

determine a pose of the end effector using data from sensing of the tracker;

determine a cutting plane based on the pose of the end effector;

compare the cutting plane to a target plane for an anatomical structure of a patient; and

control the actuation unit to bring the cutting plane into alignment with the target plane.

2. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the cutting plane is parallel to a plane of the planar mechanism.

3. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the cutting plane is orthogonal to a plane of the planar mechanism.

4. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a surgical saw comprising a saw blade configured to oscillate within the cutting plane.

5. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a burr, a laser, a high-pressure water jet, a scalpel, or a lancet.

6. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a passive lockable articulated arm holding the actuation unit.

7. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the planar mechanism comprises at least two segments connected by a joint which defines an articulation axis between the segments.

8. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 7 , further comprising an encoder, wherein the joint is associated with the encoder for determining a position of each segment.

9. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 7 , further comprising a locking system to lock the joint in position.

10. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 7 , further comprising stops configured to limit a range of rotation of the segments around the joint.

11. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 10 , wherein the stops are bulges extending radially outwardly from the joint.

12. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 7 , further comprising a locking system for locking the end effector to the actuation unit in a rest position.

13. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a locking system for locking the end effector to the actuation unit in a rest position.

14. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 13 , wherein the locking system comprises a support coupled between the actuation unit and an intermediate part attached to the end effector.

15. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 14 , wherein the support comprises:

an opening for receiving a protrusion from the intermediate part.

16. The computer-assisted surgical system of claim 14 , wherein the support comprises a magnet or an electromagnet for reversibly engaging a magnetic element of the intermediate part.

17. A method of using the computer-assisted surgical system of claim 1 , comprising:

determining poses of the actuation unit, the end effector, and the anatomical structure using localization information provided by a tracking unit;

computing a deviation between the cutting plane and the target plane; and

if the deviation is less than a threshold, allowing operation of the end effector; and

if the deviation is greater than or equal to the threshold, not allowing operation of the end effector.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising, if the deviation is greater than or equal to the threshold:

projecting the cutting plane and the target plane in a coordinate system of the actuation unit;

computing a transformation between a plane of the planar mechanism and the cutting plane;

updating the target plane with the transformation;

computing a new attitude of the actuation unit to align the cutting plane with the updated target plane; and

moving the actuation unit to bring the cutting plane into alignment with the updated target plane.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

after moving the actuation unit, determining poses of the actuation unit, the end effector, and the anatomical structure;

computing a deviation between the cutting plane and the updated target plane; and

if the deviation is less than a threshold, allowing operation of the end effector.

20. A computer-assisted surgical system, comprising:

an end effector having an attached tracker;

an actuation unit for adjusting a position and orientation of the end effector, wherein the actuation unit has at least three motorized degrees of freedom;

a passive planar mechanism connecting the actuation unit to the end effector;

a locking system for locking the end effector to the actuation unit in a rest position; and

a control unit configured to:

determine a pose of the end effector using data from sensing of the tracker;

determine a cutting plane based on the pose of the end effector;

compare the cutting plane to a target plane for an anatomical structure of a patient; and

control the actuation unit to bring the cutting plane into alignment with the target plane, wherein the control unit is configured to allow movement of the actuation unit only if the rest position is detected.