Robotic surgical systems and methods for rod bending

Abstract

The disclosed technology relates to a rod bending machine for use with a robotic surgical system in an operating room. The system which is capable to bend rods for surgeries directly in the operating room. The rigidity of the rods is such that the robotic arm alone would have to be huge to provide sufficient forces and torques. This invention introduces bending module integrated into robotic system which allows free bending of rods within limits required for surgeries.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A machine for intraoperative bending of rods, the machine comprising:
 a bending apparatus for bending a rod, the bending apparatus comprising:
 a force die; 
 a bend die; and 
 a force transfer device that transfers energy from an actuator to the force die thereby causing a rod positioned between the force die and the bend die to bend around the bend die; and 
   a fixation apparatus for releasably securing the bending apparatus to a robotic surgical system.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the fixation apparatus is magnetic, electro-magnetic, and/or mechanical. 
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the fixation apparatus comprises at least one of push clips, push in rivets, screw rivets, clips, and tabs configured to attach to an interface on the robot. 
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the fixation apparatus comprises one or more holes sized for one or more bolts to pass through to secure the bending apparatus to the robotic surgical system via the one or more bolts. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bending device is a ram bending device, three-roll bending device, compression bending device, or rotary draw bending device. 
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bending device is a ram bending device, the force die comprises a first counter die and a second counter die, and the bend die is a radius block. 
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bending device is a three-roll bending device, the force die comprises a first counter roller and a second counter roller, and the bend die is a bend roller. 
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bending device is a compression bending device, the force die comprises a stationary bend die, the bending device comprises a clamp, and the bend die is a compression die. 
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bending device is a rotary draw bending device, the force die comprises a stationary pressure die, the bending device comprises a clamp, a follower slide, and a wiper die, and the bend die is a rotatable bend die. 
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bending module is a passive bending module. 
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bending device comprises an actuator for applying a force to the force die thereby causing a rod positioned between the force die and the bend die to bend around the bend die. 
     
     
         12 . The machine of  claim 11 , wherein the force transfer device is arranged to transfer a force from an actuator to the force die. 
     
     
         13 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A robotic surgical system for use in a surgical procedure, the system comprising:
 a robotic arm comprising an end-effector;   an actuator for controlled movement of the robotic arm and positioning of the end effector; and   a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
 receive a desired curvature of a skeletal structure of a patient; 
 determine a position of each the two or more screws in the patient during the surgical procedure; and 
 intraoperatively determine the desired curvature of an implantable rod based at least in part on the desired curvature of the skeletal structure and the position of the two or more screws placed in the patient during the surgical procedure. 
   
     
     
         27 . A robotic surgical system for performing surgery, the system comprising:
 a robotic arm comprising an end-effector;   an actuator for controlled movement of the robotic arm and positioning of the end effector; and   a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
 intraoperatively coordinate the bending of an implantable rod to produce a shaped rod based at least in part on a desired curvature of a skeletal structure and the position of each of two or more screws in the patient during the surgical procedure. 
   
     
     
         28 . The robotic surgical system of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 position the end effector thereby positioning the rod relative to a bending apparatus; and   send signals to the bending apparatus that cause the bending apparatus to bend the rod.   
     
     
         29 . The robotic surgical system of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 position the end effector and send signals to a bending apparatus thereby causing the bending apparatus to bend the rod, thereby creating a shaped rod.   
     
     
         30 . The robotic surgical system of  claim 27 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive a desired curvature of a skeletal structure of a patient;   determine a position of each the two or more screws in the patient during the surgical procedure; and   intraoperatively determine the desired curvature of an implantable rod based at least in part on the desired curvature of the skeletal structure and the position of the two or more screws placed in the patient during the surgical procedure.   
     
     
         31 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The robotic surgical system of  claim 26 , the system comprising a rod fixation apparatus for grasping a rod. 
     
     
         38 . The robotic surgical system of  claim 26 , wherein the rod fixation apparatus is arranged to be held by the end effector. 
     
     
         39 - 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . The robotic surgical system of  claim 26 , the system comprising:
 a bending apparatus for bending a rod, the bending apparatus comprising:
 a force die; 
 a bend die; and 
 a force transfer device that transfers energy from an actuator to the force die thereby causing a rod positioned between the force die and the bend die to bend around the bend die; and 
   a fixation apparatus for releasably securing the bending apparatus to a robotic surgical system.   
     
     
         48 - 75 . (canceled)