Systems and methods are provided in which intraoperatively acquired surface data is employed to verify the correspondence of an intraoperatively selected spinal level with a spinal level that is pre-selected based on volumetric image data. Segmented surface data corresponding to the pre-selected spinal levels may be obtained from the volumetric image data, such that the segmented surface data corresponds to a spinal segment that is expected to be exposed and identified intraoperatively during the surgical procedure. The segmented surface data from the pre-selected spinal level, and adjacent segmented surface data from an adjacent spinal level that is adjacent to the pre-selected spinal level, is registered to the intraoperative surface data, and quality measures associated with the registration are obtained, thereby permitting an assessment or a determination of whether or not the pre-selected spinal surface (in the volumetric frame or reference) is likely to correspond to the intraoperatively selected spinal level.

Systems, methods, software and techniques for generating a milling path for a tool of a surgical system are provided. The milling path is designed to remove a resection volume associated with an anatomical volume. A reference guide is defined with respect to the resection volume. Sections are defined along the reference guide in succession. Each section intersects the reference guide at a different intersection point and is at a specified orientation relative to the reference guide at the intersection point. Each section further intersects the resection volume. A section path is generated to be bounded within each section and defined relative to the resection volume. A plurality of transition segments are generated and each transition segment connects section paths of successive sections along the reference guide.

A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of gathering data during surgical procedures, wherein the surgical procedures include the use of a surgical instrument, analyzing the gathered data to determine an appropriate operational adjustment of the surgical instrument, and adjusting the operation of the surgical instrument to improve the operation of the surgical instrument.

A surgical system includes a robotic device, a surgical tool mounted on the robotic device, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive image data of an anatomy, generate a virtual bone model based on the image data, identify a soft tissue attachment point on the virtual bone model, plan placement of an implant based on the soft tissue attachment point, generate a control object based on the placement of the implant, and control the robotic device to confine the surgical tool within the control object.

Examples of systems and methods described herein may utilize augmented reality devices and pointers in generating intra-operative plans and providing guidance for knee surgery. A pointer may indicate one or more anatomical points. An augmented reality device may detect positions of knee anatomical features based on a position of the pointer and positions of fiducials associated with a marker affixed to body part proximate to a knee, such as a femur or a tibia. The augmented reality device may generate a planned resection plane based on the positions of the knee anatomical features, and determine an actual resection plane based on a view of a resection guide having a marker inserted in the guide. The augmented reality device may provide guidance to position the guide to align the actual resection plane with the planned resection plane.

A robotic surgical system comprises a surgical tool, a manipulator configured to support the surgical tool, a force/torque sensor to measure forces and torques applied to the surgical tool, and a control system. The control system obtains a three-dimensional milling path for the surgical tool. The control system also receives one or more signals from the force/torque sensor in response to a user manually applying user forces and torques to the surgical tool. The control system determines a commanded pose to which to command the manipulator to advance the surgical tool along the milling path based on a tangential component of the user forces and torques, based on a virtual simulation using virtual constraints, and/or based on other suitable factors to promote guided, manual movement of the surgical tool along the milling path.

A surgical instrument having a first member being engageable with a fastener. A second member includes an expandable portion configured for capturing the fastener. A third member is engageable with the expandable portion to releasably capture the fastener. An actuator connected with the second member and the third member. The actuator includes a threaded inner surface and a threaded coupling member engageable with the threaded inner surface to facilitate axial translation of the second member relative to the third member. Systems, spinal constructs, implants and methods are disclosed.

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.

An apparatus is provided that is visible by both a three dimensional (3D) scanner system of a medical navigation system and a camera of the medical navigation system. The apparatus involves a rigid member and a plurality of markers attached to the rigid member. Each of the plurality of markers includes a reflective surface portion visible by the camera and a distinct identifiable portion visible by the 3D scanner system. The apparatus further involves a connector mechanism to connect the apparatus to a reference location. The apparatus is in a field of view of the 3D scanner system and the camera within a timeframe of the 3D scan.

A system is suggested comprising an optical sensing means and a processing unit. The optical sensing means may include an optical guide with a distal end, wherein the optical guide may be configured to be arranged in a device to be inserted into tissue in a region of interest. The processing unit may be configured to receive information of a region of interest including different tissue types as well as of a path through the tissues, to determine a sequence of tissue types along the path, to determine a tissue type at the distal end of the optical guide based on information received from the optical sensing means, to compare the determined tissue type with the tissue types on the path, to determine possible positions of the distal end of the optical guide on the path based on the comparison of tissue types, and to generate a signal indicative for the possible positions.