Development and first patient trial of a surgical robot for complex trajectory milling.
OBJECTIVE
Today's surgical robots normally perform "simple" trajectories, e.g., assisting as tool-holding devices in neurosurgery, or milling linear paths for cavities in total hip replacement. From a clinical point of view, it is still a complex undertaking to implement robots in the operating room. Until now, robot systems have not been used in patient trials to mill "complex" trajectories, which involve many positional and orientation changes and are often necessary in cranio-maxillofacial (CMF) surgery. This paper presents the RobaCKa surgical robot system, which allows more precise execution of surgical interventions and milling of "complex" trajectories.


METHODS
The main components of the RobaCKa system are a (former) CASPAR robot system, a POLARIS system, and a force-torque sensor.


RESULTS
In the first patient trial (April 2003) the planned trajectory was executed with an error of 0.66 +/- 0.2 mm.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of former industrial robots for surgical applications is possible but complex. The advantages are improved precision and quality and the possibility of documentation. The use of such systems is normally limited to research institutions or large clinics, because it is hardly possible to implement the necessary technical and logistic efforts in routine surgical work.
Korb
Werner
W
Department of Maxillofacial and Craniofacial Surgery, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Werner_korb@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Engel
Dirk
D
Boesecke
Robert
R
Eggers
Georg
G
Kotrikova
Bibiana
B
Marmulla
Rüdiger
R
Raczkowsky
Jörg
J
Wörn
Heinz
H
Mühling
Joachim
J
Hassfeld
Stefan
S
D003399:Craniotomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D012371:Robotics; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*