Robotic systems and methods for manipulating a cutting guide for a surgical instrument

1. A surgical system for use with a surgical tool that is hand-guided, the surgical system comprising:

a robotic manipulator;

a tool guide configured to be coupled to the robotic manipulator and configured to receive and guide the surgical tool to enable the surgical tool to manipulate a bone; and

a control system configured to operate the robotic manipulator to:

autonomously align the tool guide to a target orientation relative to the bone;

enable a user to control movement of the tool guide to an initial guide location adjacent to the bone;

maintain alignment of the tool guide with the target orientation in the initial guide location, wherein the initial guide location is adapted to enable the surgical tool to perform an initial manipulation of the bone;

facilitate withdrawal of the tool guide away from the initial guide location to a spaced guide location after the initial manipulation of the bone; and

maintain alignment of the tool guide with the target orientation at the spaced guide location, wherein the spaced guide location is adapted to enable the surgical tool to perform a further manipulation of the bone.

2. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the robotic manipulator to facilitate autonomous withdrawal of the tool guide from the initial guide location to the spaced guide location.

3. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the robotic manipulator to:

facilitate withdrawal of the tool guide from the initial guide location to the spaced guide location in response to a user-applied movement; and

constrain movement of the tool guide during the user-applied movement of the tool guide.

4. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to determine the spaced guide location for the tool guide based on one or more parameters associated with the surgical tool.

5. The surgical system of claim 1 , comprising a navigation system comprising a localizer and a display device, wherein the navigation system is configured to:

track, with the localizer, a pose of the tool guide relative to a pose of the bone; and

generate, on the display device, a visual representation of a region of the bone capable of being reached by the surgical tool when the tool guide is in the spaced guide location.

6. The surgical system of claim 1 , comprising a navigation system including a localizer configured to generate tracking data for the tool guide, the bone, and the surgical tool, wherein the initial guide location and the spaced guide location for the tool guide are determined based on tracking data.

7. The surgical system of claim 1 , comprising a navigation system including a localizer to track the bone, wherein the navigation system is configured to determine, from the localizer, a velocity or acceleration of the bone, and the control system is configured to:

operate the robotic manipulator in a free mode in response to the velocity or acceleration of the bone exceeding a predetermined limit; and

autonomously re-align the tool guide to the target orientation relative to the bone in response to the velocity or acceleration being at or below the predetermined limit.

8. The surgical system of claim 1 , comprising a navigation system including a localizer configured to optically track one or more tracking elements coupled to one or more of: the bone; the surgical tool; and the tool guide, and wherein the control system is configured to facilitate withdrawal of the tool guide away from the initial guide location in response to one or more of the tracking elements being blocked from view of the localizer.

9. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system comprises one or more sensors to measure one or more forces and torques applied by the user to one or more of the tool guide and the robotic manipulator, and the control system being configured to operate the robotic manipulator in a free mode in response to the one or more forces and torques exceeding a predetermined limit.

10. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system comprises one or more sensors coupled to the tool guide to sense a deflection load applied on the tool guide by the surgical tool, and in response to the deflection load exceeding a predetermined limit, the control system is configured to:

activate an indicator; and/or

instruct deactivation of a motor of the surgical tool.

11. A method of operating a surgical system for use with a surgical tool that is hand-guided, the surgical system comprising a robotic manipulator, a tool guide configured to be coupled to the robotic manipulator and configured to receive and guide the surgical tool to enable the surgical tool to manipulate a bone, and a control system, the method comprising:

operating, with the control system, the robotic manipulator for:

autonomously aligning the tool guide to a target orientation relative to the bone;

enabling a user to move the tool guide to an initial guide location adjacent to the bone;

maintaining alignment of the tool guide with the target orientation in the initial guide location, wherein the initial guide location is adapted for enabling the surgical tool to perform an initial manipulation of the bone;

facilitating withdrawal of the tool guide away from the initial guide location to a spaced guide location after the initial manipulation of the bone; and

maintaining alignment of the tool guide with the target orientation at the spaced guide location, wherein the spaced guide location is adapted for enabling the surgical tool to perform a further manipulation of the bone.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein facilitating withdrawal of the tool guide from the initial guide location to the spaced guide location further comprises autonomously withdrawing the tool guide.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein facilitating withdrawal of the tool guide from the initial guide location to the spaced guide location further comprises:

facilitating withdrawal of the tool guide in response to a user-applied movement; and

constraining, with the robotic manipulator, movement of the tool guide during the user-applied movement of the tool guide.

14. The method of claim 11 , comprising determining, with the control system, the spaced guide location for the tool guide based on one or more parameters associated with the surgical tool.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the surgical system includes a navigation system comprising a localizer and a display device, and the method comprising:

tracking, with the localizer, a pose of the tool guide relative to a pose of the bone; and

generating, on the display device, a visual representation of a region of the bone capable of being reached by the surgical tool when the tool guide is in the spaced guide location.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the surgical system includes a navigation system comprising a localizer, and the method comprising:

generating, with the localizer, tracking data for the tool guide, the bone, and the surgical tool; and

determining, with the control system, the initial guide location and the spaced guide location for the tool guide based on tracking data.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the surgical system includes a navigation system comprising a localizer, the method comprising:

tracking the bone with the localizer;

determining, from the localizer, a velocity or acceleration of the bone;

operating, with the control system, the robotic manipulator in a free mode in response to the velocity or acceleration of the bone exceeding a predetermined limit; and

operating, with the control system, the robotic manipulator for autonomously re-aligning the tool guide to the target orientation relative to the bone in response to the velocity or acceleration being at or below the predetermined limit.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the surgical system includes a navigation system comprising a localizer configured to optically track one or more tracking elements coupled to one or more of: the bone; the surgical tool; and the tool guide, and the method comprising:

detecting, with the navigation system, one or more of the tracking elements being blocked from view of the localizer; and

operating, with the control system, the robotic manipulator for facilitating withdrawal of the tool guide away from the initial guide location in response to one or more of the tracking elements being blocked from view of the localizer.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the control system comprises one or more sensors to measure one or more forces and torques applied by the user to one or more of the tool guide and the robotic manipulator, and the method comprising:

determining, with the control system, the one or more forces and torques exceeding a predetermined limit; and

operating, with the control system, the robotic manipulator in a free mode in response to the one or more forces and torques exceeding the predetermined limit.

20. A method of operating a surgical system, the surgical system comprising a surgical tool that is hand-guided, a robotic manipulator supporting a tool guide, the tool guide configured to receive and guide the surgical tool to enable the surgical tool to manipulate a bone, and a control system, the method comprising:

autonomously aligning the tool guide to a target orientation relative to the bone;

moving the tool guide to an initial guide location adjacent to the bone;

maintaining alignment of the tool guide with the target orientation in the initial guide location;

guiding the surgical tool with the tool guide being in the initial guide location for enabling the surgical tool to perform an initial manipulation of the bone;

facilitating withdrawal of the tool guide away from the initial guide location to a spaced guide location after the initial manipulation of the bone;

maintaining alignment of the tool guide with the target orientation at the spaced guide location; and

guiding the surgical tool with the tool guide being in the spaced guide location for enabling the surgical tool to perform a further manipulation of the bone.