An implantable array suitable for being placed in anatomic tissue of a human or animal body is provided. The implantable array has a substrate and a reference structure, the reference structure being formed by a number of notches arranged in at least one outer edge of the substrate, the reference structure defines a spatial relationship with predefined points of the array.

Robotic systems and methods employ a virtual simulation wherein a tool is represented as a virtual volume adapted to interact relative to a virtual boundary defined by a mesh of polygonal elements. A reactive force is computed in response to penetration of one of the polygonal elements by the virtual volume in the virtual simulation. The reactive force is computed as a function of a volume of a penetrating portion of the virtual volume that is penetrating a plane of the polygonal element. The reactive force is applied to the virtual volume in the virtual simulation for reducing penetration of the polygonal element by the virtual volume.

Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a dental measurement method comprising, for example, measuring an orientation of a dental measurement device which includes a user interface, and displaying information on said user interface based on said orientation.

A salvage device for localizing a tissue marker clip includes an elongate handle having a metal ball connected to its distal end, and a probe connected to a distal end of the radiopaque fiducial element. A lumen extends through at least a portion of the elongate handle, the metal ball and the probe, terminating at a distal tip of the probe. A deployable tissue engagement member is housed at least partially within the lumen and connected to a proximal switch.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

A surgical system including a patient tracker and a tracking system. The patient tracker is adapted for attachment to a patient, and includes a hybrid marker having a radiological marker contained within an optical marker. The tracking system tracks the hybrid marker. A computing device obtains a three-dimensional image of a patient' s anatomy and the attached patient tracker; identifies a three-dimensional portion of the hybrid marker within a scan volume; determines a location of the hybrid marker within the scan volume based on the identified three-dimensional portion; tracks the location of the hybrid marker in three-dimensional space using the tracking system while the patient tracker remains fixed to the patient; and registers the three-dimensional image in three-dimensional space based on a known geometric relationship between the location of the hybrid marker within the scan volume and the location of the hybrid marker in three-dimensional space.

Example methods and systems may be used intraoperatively to help surgeons perform accurate and replicable surgeries, such as knee arthroplasty surgeries. An example system combines real time measurement and tracking components with functionality to compile data collected by the hardware to register a bone of a patient, calculate an axis (e.g., mechanical axis) of the leg of the patient, assist a surgeon in placing cut guides, and verify a placement of an inserted prosthesis.

A method for emulating prerecorded images may comprise acquiring at least one organ timing signal reading representing an activity state of an organ with at least one organ timing signal detector, acquiring a plurality of images with a medical imaging system, associating each of the plurality of images with an organ timing signal reading, removing any of the organ timing signal readings and associated images that are not representative of a normal organ configuration, and outputting a sequence of the representative images for a display.

Medical devices are disclosed having improved visualization of a portion of the medical device insertable into a patient's body while minimizing obstruction of fluid flow through a lumen of the device and while minimizing an increase in the outer diameter of the device attributable to the feature providing improved visualization. The device can include, for example, an imaging marker distal to lumen openings (exit ports), or, where the device comprises a tube, such as a metallic tube, an imaging marker embedded into a wall of the tube. Another embodiment includes attaching a marker to the surface on the inside of a lumen of a medical device without embedding the marker. Various alternative embodiments, methods and applications of using such devices are disclosed as well.

A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply instruction signals to the motor assembly. The instruction signals can be configured to cause the motor assembly to selectively move the effectuator element and is further configured to (i) calculate a position of the transmitter; (ii) display the position of the at least one transmitter; and (iii) selectively control actuation of the motor assembly.