In certain embodiments, the systems, apparatus, and methods disclosed herein relate to robotic surgical systems with built-in navigation capability for patient position tracking and surgical instrument guidance during a surgical procedure, without the need for a separate navigation system. Robotic based navigation of surgical instruments during surgical procedures allows for easy registration and operative volume identification and tracking. The systems, apparatus, and methods herein allow re-registration, model updates, and operative volumes to be performed intra-operatively with minimal disruption to the surgical workflow. In certain embodiments, navigational assistance can be provided to a surgeon by displaying a surgical instrument's position relative to a patient's anatomy. Additionally, by revising pre-operatively defined data such as operative volumes, patient-robot orientation relationships, and anatomical models of the patient, a higher degree of precision and lower risk of complications and serious medical error can be achieved.

A surgical system includes a base, a robotic arm extending from the base and comprising a plurality of segments, a first tracker secured to the base, a second tracker secured to a segment of the plurality of segments of the robotic arm, and a detection device configured to determine an arrangement of the first tracker and the second tracker.

The present invention relates to a method, such as a surgical method for assisting a surgeon for placing screws in the spine using a robot attached to a passive structure. The present invention also related to a method, such as a surgical method for assisting a surgeon for removing volumes in the body of a patient using a robot attached to a passive structure and to a device to carry out said methods. The present invention further concerns a device suitable to carry out the methods according to the present invention.

Techniques for retracting an instrument into an entry guide include receiving a retraction command for the instrument, the retraction command commanding movement of the instrument into the entry guide; causing, in response to the retraction command and using an instrument manipulator, movement of a rotational joint of the instrument that is external to the entry guide toward a distal end of the entry guide; actuating, after the rotational joint reaches a minimum distance from the distal end of the entry guide, the rotational joint to orient a link of the instrument so that the link can be retracted into the entry guide, the link being adjacent to and distal to the rotational joint; and causing, after the link is oriented so that the link can be retracted into the entry guide and using the instrument manipulator, further movement of the rotational joint toward the distal end of the entry guide.

A method includes controlling a robotic arm extending from a base in a free mode during a registration procedure and optically tracking the base and a marker mounted on the robotic arm during movement of the robotic arm in the free mode. The movement of the robotic arm causes movement of the marker without affecting a position of the base. The method also includes defining a coordinate transformation based on a position of the base and a plurality of tracked positions of the marker achieved during the movement of the robotic arm in the free mode and controlling the robotic arm using the coordinate transformation.

A method includes controlling a robotic system using a virtual boundary and based on optical tracking of a tracker, detecting a condition in which an optical detection device is occluded from detecting the tracker, and maintaining the virtual boundary if the condition persists for shorter than a predetermined period of time.

A surgical instrument navigation system and method of use is provided that visually simulates a virtual volumetric scene of a body cavity of a patient from a point of view of a surgical instrument residing in the cavity of the patient, wherein the surgical instrument, as provided, may be a steerable surgical catheter with a biopsy device and/or a surgical catheter with a side-exiting medical instrument, among others. Additionally, systems, methods and devices are provided for forming a respiratory-gated point cloud of a patient's respiratory system and for placing a localization element in an organ of a patient.

Techniques for retracting an instrument into an entry guide include an entry guide manipulator configured to support an entry guide and an instrument manipulator configured to support an instrument. The robotic system is configured to receive a command indicating a commanded movement of the entry guide in a direction parallel to an insertion axis of the entry guide; in response to the commanded movement of the entry guide being greater than a threshold distance in the direction parallel to the insertion axis, cause a response comprising one or more actions selected from the group consisting of: movement, using the instrument manipulator, of one or more rotational joints of the instrument external to the entry guide toward a distal end of the entry guide; and actuation of the one or more rotational joints to straighten the instrument so that the instrument can be retracted into the entry guide.

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for assisting or performing guided interventional procedures using. The system uses pre-procedure scans of a patient's anatomy to identify targets and critical structures. A measurement device containing position indicating elements or fiducials is placed in a pre-existing or physician created conduit or lumen whose geometry is known from a scan. During a procedure, the pre-procedure scans may be registered to the patient using the position indicating elements or fiducials and the geometry of the conduit. This registration may be used in an intervention to guide instruments that can obtain diagnostic information or provide therapy to the identified targets. During the procedure, the position indicating elements may be used to dynamically compensate for motion to further improve accuracy.

A surgical instrument navigation system and method of use is provided that visually simulates a virtual volumetric scene of a body cavity of a patient from a point of view of a surgical instrument residing in the cavity of the patient, wherein the surgical instrument, as provided, may be a steerable surgical catheter with a biopsy device and/or a surgical catheter with a side-exiting medical instrument, among others. Additionally, systems, methods and devices are provided for forming a respiratory-gated point cloud of a patient's respiratory system and for placing a localization element in an organ of a patient.