Thesis-1998-Browbank.pdf (11.41 MB)
Intraoperative registration for robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgery : a digital X-ray photogrammetry based technique
thesis
posted on 2013-08-13, 13:05 authored by Ian BrowbankChanges in orthopaedic practice have led to an increased reliance upon fluoroscopic
image-guidance during fracture fixation (osteosynthesis) procedures. The resulting
complexity of surgical techniques, and concerns over X-ray radiation exposure levels
to orthopaedic surgeons, has prompted an investigation of robotic-assisted
orthopaedic surgery, with a view to improving the precision, repeatability and
radiation safety of existing fluoroscopically-guided bone drilling procedures.
A prerequisite for such an application is to establish the patient's location with respect
to the robotic manipulator. Owing to the inherent nature of osteosynthesis procedures,
this intraoperative registration process can only be performed by quantifying the
existing fluoroscopic examination process. A digital X-ray photogrammetry based
registration technique, which uses a radiolucent robot-mounted X-ray calibration
frame, has therefore been investigated.
When this calibration frame is simultaneously imaged with the patient, discrete
registration markers, corresponding to radiopaque fiducials embedded in the frame, are
superimposed into the standard intraoperative X-ray images. Digitising these images,
using a PC-based frame grabber card, has allowed semi-automatic image analysis
routines to be implemented. Applying correction-calibration software, which provides
on-line compensation for image distortion effects, then allows the imaged part of the
patient's skeleton to be located, with respect to the calibration frame's coordinate
system, thus establishing intraoperative registration.
In vitro laboratory-based trials of this registration technique indicate that
reconstruction errors are in the sub-millimetre range. As such, this new approach
represents a low cost non-invasive registration option, which fully adheres to
"operating room compatibility" criteria, and is applicable to a wide range of
osteosynthesis procedures. Significantly, by extending the technique to include
quantification of the trajectory plarming process, it has also been possible to
demonstrate major improvements over existing surgical techniques.
History
School
- Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering
Publisher
© Ian BrowbankPublication date
1998Notes
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough UniversityEThOS Persistent ID
uk.bl.ethos.594423Language
- en