Accurate Robot Assisted Laser Bone Processing
Computer Assisted Orthopaedic Surgery, pp. 121–122, 2010
Abstract
Cutting bony tissue isusually performedmanuallyutilizingmechanicalcuttinginstruments,likebursandsaws.Duetothecuttingtooldimensionanditsapplication,incisionsarelimitedintheirgeometry.Incontrastlaserboneablationallowsprocessingofboneinacontact‐ andforce‐freemannerinamorearbitrarywayeveninregionswhicharehardlyaccessiblewithconventionaltools.Forexample,theshort‐pulsedCO2laserissuitabletoablatebonytissuewithoutnegativehistologicalside‐effects.Itispossibletoachievecuttingwidthsdownto200μmwiththismethod[1]. Therequiredaccuracyforpositioningexceedsthemanualskillsofasurgeonandthereforenecessitatesapplicationofroboticassistance.