Flexible robotic device for spinal surgery

The present generation of surgical tools is reliant on drills and cutting tools that cannot navigate through small corners present in complex bones such as the spinal column. This paper summarizes the development of a flexible robotic surgical system to be used in minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS), targeting the removal of cancerous tissue. The cutting system consists of a flexible drill and a water-jet cutter which may be used interchangeably; each capable of bending around the spinal column for tissue removal. A robot platform has been designed and fabricated that acts as a mount for the cutting system, and produces the desired range of movements. A graphical user interface (GUI) has been created to analyze the working envelope of the platform and provide an interface for control by a surgeon. Experimental testing shows that prototypes of both the drill and water jet cutter are able to go around angles up to 120° and remove soft tissues off the bone. The developed systems could be used to remove cancerous tumors surrounding the spinal column in MISS procedures.