A removable hybrid robot system for long bone fracture reduction

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Robotics in Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional long bone fracture reduction surgery faces challenges including low accuracy, surgeon radiation exposure, and infection risk.
• Existing methods often require invasive procedures with potential for complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel removable hybrid robot system for enhanced long bone fracture reduction.
• To address the limitations of conventional surgical techniques by improving accuracy and surgeon safety.

Main Methods:

• A removable series-parallel mechanism integrated with a motor-double cylinder (MDC) driven mode was designed.
• The system's mechanism, fracture reduction principle, and surgical procedure were detailed.
• Experimental validation was performed using bone models to assess reduction accuracy.

Main Results:

• The system demonstrated high accuracy in fracture reduction, with mean deviations for axial and lateral displacement of 1.60mm and 1.26mm, respectively.
• Standard deviations for axial and lateral displacement were low (0.69mm and 0.30mm).
• Angular accuracy was also high, with mean deviations for side angle and inward turn of 2.06° and 2.22°, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The developed minimally invasive robot system achieves high accuracy in long bone fracture reduction.
• The system significantly reduces or eliminates radiation exposure for surgeons.
• This robotic approach offers a safer and more precise alternative for long bone fracture treatment.