Jon T. Lea

Registration and immobilization in robot-assisted surgery.

Robotic systems for computer-assisted surgery involve both tools and techniques that are new to the surgical arena. Registration and immobilization in particular are key problems. Registration is the spatial alignment of the coordinate frames of the robot, an anatomic object (e.g., a bone), and the preoperative plan (a computer model). Immobilization is necessary to maintain that alignment. We discuss various approaches to registration and immobilization and solutions appropriate for an orthopedic surgical system.

Total knee replacement

Describes a computer-assisted surgical system which uses a calibrated robot. The authors consider: total knee replacement surgery; motivation for robotic systems in total knee replacement; system operation; CT scan and preoperative planning; femoral fiducial location; femoral component placement; tibial fiducial location and component placement; fixturing; immobilization of the knee; immobilization of the pelvis and ankle; fiducial identification and registration; landmark pins; center of the femoral head; robot system and calibration; calibration using a telescopic ball-bar. >