An exemplary robotic system and control method is disclosed that employs magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) guided visual-servo positioning of a medical robot system. In an example, an MR Elastography (MRE) actuator system is disclosed that employs the exemplary MRI-guided visual servoing to assess tissues based on its mechanical properties. The exemplary MRI-guided positioning is directly and solely used as a feedback sensor through its visual output to control multiple degrees of movement of the MRE actuators. The exemplary MRI-guided positioning may be employed in various diagnostics, minimally invasive surgery, or medical procedures for any number of a medical instrument and interventional procedures that can be conducted in an MRI environment or in proximity to an MRI scanner.

Instruments, guides, systems and related methods for total ankle prostheses are disclosed. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods facilitate preparation of a tibia and/or talus of a patient for implantation of a total ankle prosthesis therein. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods also facilitate selection of a particular size of a tibial component, a talus component and/or a tibial insert of the total ankle prosthesis that suits the patient. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods include a tibial trial component, a talar trial component and tibial insert trial component that replicate one or more aspects of the tibial component, the talus component and the tibial insert, respectively, of the total ankle prosthesis. The talar trial component includes an articulation surface that articulates with the tibial insert trial component, and slots that facilitate chamfered resection of the patient's talus for the implantation of the talus component thereon.

An electro-mechanical box trainer for neurosurgery comprise: (i) a base part which comprises a rubberized working port (11) for insertion of endoscope (26) and tool (25) for manipulation, a microcontroller programmed motorized peg plate (14) placed at 45° degrees of inclination for defining a practice volume according to the neuroendoscopy, a membrane keypad to change the angle of rotation of said peg plate (14) along vertical axis, liquid crystal display (LED) array to illuminate the interior of the box and a removable base plate (6) to house the circuitry; and (ii) a removable part enclosed of five walls such as a front wall (18), two lateral walls (17 and 19), a back wall (20) and a top wall (23), comprises a housing to mount an auxiliary camera (32) to record all the task for evaluation and a slider at the back to adjust the camera focus.

The invention in its various embodiments relates to a method of providing surgical guidance and targeting in robotic surgery systems. The method utilizes data from a navigation system in tandem with 2-dimensional (2D) intra-operative imaging data. 2D intra-operative image data is superimposed with a pre-operative 3-dimensional (3D) image and surgery plans made in the pre-operative image coordinate system. The superimposition augments real-time intraoperative navigation for achieving image guided surgery in robotic surgery systems. Also, a robotic surgery system that incorporates the method of providing surgical guidance and targeting is disclosed. The advantages include minimizing radiation exposure to a patient by avoiding intra-operative volumetric imaging, mobility of tools, imager and robot in and out of the operating space without the need for re-calibration, and relaxing the need for repeating precise imaging positions.

A lesion detection system for use with a patient, comprising an optoacoustic guide wire assembly configured to be insertable into a patient's tissue. The optical acoustic guide wire assembly can be comprised of an optical waveguide have a first end and a second end, a light source coupled to the second end of the optical waveguide, wherein said light source configured to emit energy to the patient's tissue, at least one transducer configured to detect an ultrasound signal emitted from the patient's tissue in response to energy emitted from the light source, and a computer system.

A medical system that allows a mentor to teach a pupil how to use a robotically controlled medical instrument. The system may include a first handle that can be controlled by a mentor to move the medical instrument. The system may further have a second handle that can be moved by a pupil to control the same instrument. Deviations between movement of the handles by the mentor and the pupil can be provided as force feedback to the pupil and mentor handles. The force feedback pushes the pupil's hand to correspond with the mentor's handle movement. The force feedback will also push the mentor's hand to provide information to the mentor on pupil's movements. The mentor is thus able to guide the pupil's hands through force feedback of the pupil handles to teach the pupil how to use the system.

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an MRI-compatible robot comprising one or more fiducial markers, a first planar stage comprising a first joint configured to receive a surgical tool and a first mechanism configured to move the surgical tool, a second planar stage comprising a second joint configured to receive the surgical tool and a second mechanism configured to move the surgical tool, and wherein the second planar stage is generally parallel with the first planar stage.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for simulating insertion of an elongated instrument into a structure. The apparatus comprises a casing having an aperture for receiving a distal end of the elongated instrument therethrough and a longitudinal guide fixedly mounted in the casing. The apparatus has a carriage for mounting the distal end of the elongated instrument, the carriage being slidably mounted onto the longitudinal guide for translation therealong according to a translation of the elongated instrument through the aperture of the casing. The apparatus comprises a carriage position sensing element for sensing a longitudinal position of the carriage and a feedback force actuator for applying an adjustable resistive force to a translation of the carriage on the longitudinal guide according to the sensed position of the carriage and resistance characteristics of the structure. The present disclosure also relates to a medical insertion simulator comprising such an apparatus.

A surgical training device is provided. The training device includes a model for practicing the passage of needle and suture. The model includes a base with a plurality of openings configured to receive a plurality of suture tabs. The suture tabs are made of elastomeric material. Some suture tabs includes pre-formed tab apertures for the passage of a suture. Other suture tabs include a penetrable area through which a suture needle may penetrate for passing a suture. The suture tabs are movable with respect to the base to orientate them at different angles with respect to the base. The base itself may include portions that are angled with respect to each other. The suture tabs are movable with respect to the base to pull, expose or open the tab apertures and surfaces. Some of the tab apertures are slits that open upon being pulled relative to the base requiring the user to practice holding the tab while passing the needle through the tab.

A system is provided. The system includes an electrosurgical generator configured to measure, collect and record data pertaining to a characteristic of tissue as the tissue is being electrosurgically treated. A tuner configured to couple to the electrosurgical generator includes a tuning circuit providing a load having a variable complex impedance for the electrosurgical generator when the electrosurgical generator is connected thereto. A controller including stored data pertaining to impedance values is in operable communication with the electrosurgical generator for retrieving the recorded data pertaining to the characteristic of tissue. The controller is in operable communication with the tuner for varying a complex impedance of the load. The controller configured to compare the recorded data pertaining to the at least one characteristic of tissue with the stored data pertaining to the plurality of impedance values and to adjust the tuner to one of the plurality of impedance values.