US 12,329,476 B2
Drill guide fixtures, cranial insertion fixtures, and related methods and robotic systems
Neil Crawford, Chandler, AZ (US); and Norbert Johnson, North Andover, MA (US)
Assigned to Globus Medical, Inc., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed by GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed on May 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/325,432.
Application 18/325,432 is a continuation of application No. 16/535,223, filed on Aug. 8, 2019, granted, now 11,744,655.
Application 16/535,223 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/209,266, filed on Dec. 4, 2018, granted, now 11,602,402.
Prior Publication US 2023/0301731 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 34/10 (2016.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 90/14 (2016.01); A61B 17/16 (2006.01); A61B 17/17 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 34/30 (2016.02) [A61B 34/10 (2016.02); A61B 34/20 (2016.02); A61B 90/14 (2016.02); A61B 17/1615 (2013.01); A61B 17/1703 (2013.01); A61B 2034/107 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2057 (2016.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of registering a patient anatomy comprising:
attaching, to a patient head, a reference fixture containing a plurality of radio-opaque fiducials visible in a medical image and a plurality of posts extending upward from the reference fixture;
obtaining the medical image of the patient anatomy with the attached reference fixture with a CT imaging device;
determining, through image processing, positions of the radio-opaque fiducials contained in the medical image;
obtaining positions of an end effector, having a guide tube, attached to a robot arm of a robot system based on contacting known reference points of the attached reference fixture with the end effector;
registering the robot system to the patient anatomy based on the determined positions of the radio-opaque fiducials contained in the medical image and on the obtained positions of the end effector,
wherein the guide tube includes an opening, and sequentially and physically receives in the guide tube opening each of the plurality of posts in order to register the robot system to the patient anatomy.