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A Spine Robotic-Assisted Navigation System for Pedicle Screw Placement
Published on: May 11, 2020
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A robotic system for spine surgery positioning and pedicle screw placement
Jian Zhang1, Weishi Li2, Lei Hu1
1School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China.
Summary
This study introduces a novel robot system for precise percutaneous pedicle screw placement, enhancing accuracy and reducing invasiveness in spinal surgery. The method offers improved positioning, shorter operation times, and lower X-ray exposure for patients.
Area of Science:
- Spinal Surgery
- Robotics in Medicine
- Minimally Invasive Procedures
Background:
- Minimally invasive percutaneous pedicle screw implantation reduces patient trauma.
- Accurate needle placement is crucial for successful spinal surgery outcomes.
- Existing methods face challenges in precision and efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present an accurate and efficient robot-assisted positioning method for percutaneous needle placement.
- To validate the clinical feasibility of the developed robot system under c-arm fluoroscopy.
Main Methods:
- A five degree of freedom (DOF) robot with a specialized end-effector was designed.
- Perspective calibration and image space registration were performed.
- Pedicle standard axis positioning principle was employed for alignment with c-arm's x-ray axis.
Main Results:
- Clinical operations demonstrated the robot system's feasibility.
- 26 pedicle screws were accurately implanted with 96.15% Grade A accuracy.
- Average positioning time per guide pin was 154.77 seconds, requiring three X-ray films.
Conclusions:
- The developed method significantly increases positioning accuracy.
- The system offers a simple operation with reduced procedure time.
- This approach leads to lower X-ray exposure for patients during spinal surgery.
