Robotic surgical system with patient support

Abstract

A robotic surgery system for supporting a patient and a robotic surgical manipulator. The robotic surgery system includes a base, a pillar coupled to the base at a first end and extending vertically upwardly to an opposing second end, and an attachment structure coupled to the second end of the pillar. A patient table is coupled to the attachment structure. A robot support arm has a first end coupled to the attachment structure. The robot support arm extends vertically upwardly from the first end to a second end. The robot support arm may further extend horizontally over the patient table to support a robotic surgical manipulator that will extend generally downward from the robot support arm toward a patient supported by the patient table to place an end effector of the robotic surgical manipulator adjacent a desired surgical site on the patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical system, comprising:
 a base;   a pillar coupled to the base;   a table movably supported by the pillar; and   a surgical instrument manipulator supported by the pillar via a sliding connection, the sliding connection facilitating the positioning of the surgical instrument manipulator relative to the table.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the surgical instrument manipulator is positioned at a first longitudinal position of a first end of the table via the sliding connection.   
     
     
         3 . The surgical system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the surgical instrument manipulator is configured to slide between the first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position via the sliding connection.   
     
     
         4 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a surgical instrument supported by the surgical instrument manipulator, the surgical instrument extending downwardly toward the table.   
     
     
         5 . The surgical system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the surgical instrument is positioned at a first vertical position relative to the table via the sliding connection.   
     
     
         6 . The surgical system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the surgical instrument is configured to transition between the first vertical position and a second vertical position via a sliding of the surgical instrument manipulator along the sliding connection.   
     
     
         7 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the surgical instrument manipulator is configured to slide between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position via the sliding connection;   a surgical instrument is positioned by the surgical instrument manipulator at a first vertical position relative to the table when the surgical instrument manipulator is at the first longitudinal position;   the surgical instrument is positioned by the surgical instrument manipulator at a second vertical position relative to the table when the surgical instrument manipulator is at the second longitudinal position; and   the second vertical position being different from the first vertical position.   
     
     
         8 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sliding connection is positioned on a plane that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the table.   
     
     
         9 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument manipulator is a first surgical instrument manipulator supporting a first surgical instrument, the surgical system further comprising:
 a second surgical instrument manipulator supporting a second surgical instrument; and   the second surgical instrument manipulator is supported by the pillar via the sliding connection.   
     
     
         10 . The surgical system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first surgical instrument and the second surgical instrument are positioned to converge an end effector of the first surgical instrument and an end effector of the second surgical instrument on a surgical site.   
     
     
         11 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the surgical instrument manipulator is further supported by a support arm; and   the support arm is operably coupled to the sliding connection.   
     
     
         12 . The surgical system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a portion of the table is movable relative to the sliding connection.   
     
     
         13 . A surgical system, comprising:
 a base;   a pillar coupled to the base;   a table movably supported by the pillar; and   a support bar configured to support a surgical instrument manipulator, the support bar being supported by the pillar and pivotable relative to the table to affect a position of the surgical instrument manipulator relative to the table.   
     
     
         14 . The surgical system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the surgical instrument manipulator is positioned at a first longitudinal position relative to the table via the support bar being at a first rotational position.   
     
     
         15 . The surgical system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the support bar is pivotable relative to the table between the first rotational position and a second rotational position; and   the surgical instrument manipulator is positioned at a second longitudinal position relative to the table by the support bar being at the second rotational position.   
     
     
         16 . The surgical system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a surgical instrument supported by the surgical instrument manipulator, the surgical instrument extending downwardly toward the table.   
     
     
         17 . The surgical system of  claim 16 , wherein the surgical instrument is a first surgical instrument and the surgical instrument manipulator is a first surgical instrument manipulator supporting the first surgical instrument, the surgical system further comprising:
 a second surgical instrument manipulator supported by the support bar, the second surgical instrument manipulator supporting a second surgical instrument.   
     
     
         18 . The surgical system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first surgical instrument and the second surgical instrument are positioned to converge an end effector of the first surgical instrument and an end effector of the second surgical instrument on a surgical site.   
     
     
         19 . The surgical system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the support bar has a curved form.   
     
     
         20 . The surgical system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 a portion of the table is movable relative to the support bar.