Bone registration method for robot assisted surgery: pedicle screw insertion.

A registration method that identifies bone geometry with respect to a robotic manipulator arm is presented. Although the method is generally applicable to many orthopaedic internal fixation procedures, it was only demonstrated for the insertion of pedicle screws in vertebral bodies for spine fixation. The method relies upon obtaining an impression of the vertebral bodies. Computerized tomography (CT) scans of both vertebrae and mould are reconstructed using a computer aided engineering (CAE) system. From the reconstructions, the surgeon is able to do preoperative planning including selection of pedicle screw diameter, direction of screw through pedicle, point of entry and length of engagement. The three-dimensional models are than meshed to determine positions of the surgeon's preoperative plan relative to the mould. Intra-operative positions are defined in space by a mechanical fixture rigidly attached to the mould and designed to allow a manipulator end-effector to recognize the global coordinates of the in vivo spine. The theory and methodology were validated using a five-axis manipulator arm. This initial presentation assumes and allows no relative motion between vertebrae in vivo.