Patent ID: 6546277
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method for positioning a surgical instrument during stereotactic surgery on a body, the body having been previously scanned to produce a three-dimensional image of the body which includes a target, the method comprising:attaching a mounting device to a bone structure of the body; registering the mounting device including tracking a location of the mounting device, and locating a plurality of fiducial points on the body in relation to the mounting device; providing an adjustable guidance fixture that includes a base and an instrument guide adjustably coupled to the base for guiding the surgical instrument along a constrained trajectory relative to the instrument guide, said guidance fixture enabling a plurality of constrained adjustments of the instrument guide relative to the base; tracking a location and orientation of the instrument guide and computing a position of the constrained trajectory in the three-dimensional image; fixing the base of the guidance fixture to the mounting device; adjusting the guidance fixture relative to the mounting device including adjusting the guidance fixture using a first of the constrained adjustments and then adjusting the guidance fixture using a second of the constrained adjustments, so that the constrained trajectory of the instrument guide passes through the target; driving the surgical instrument along the constrained trajectory toward the target; and removing the mounting device from the bone structure.