# US 11,026,855 B2 · System and method for patient positioning in an automated surgery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,855 B2 - Document ID: US11026855B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/069,052 - Filed: 2020-10-13 - Published: 2021-03-18 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-27 - Applicants: Ormonde M. Mahoney - Inventors: Ormonde M. Mahoney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026855B2 ## CPC - A61G 13/1245: {Knees, upper or lower legs} - A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery} - A61G 13/125: {Ankles or feet} - A61G 13/1295: {having alignment devices for the patient's body} - A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms - A61B 2034/105: {Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones} - A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2059: {Mechanical position encoders} - A61G 13/0063: {specially adapted for knee surgeries} - A61G 13/101: {Clamping means for connecting accessories to the operating table (supports as part of surgical instruments A61B90/50)} - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The present solution is generally directed to a patient positioning system used to position body parts, such as a knee, during a medical or surgical procedure. Further, the present solution is generally directed to a system and method for establishing and tracking virtual boundaries, and controlling a patient positioning system to adjust those virtual boundaries to facilitate an automated surgery procedure. Further, the present solution is generally directed to the synergistic combination of an autonomous patient positioning sub-system with a robotic surgical manipulator sub-system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for positioning a patient during a surgical procedure comprising: a support adapted to be positioned against a patient's body, the support comprising means for adjusting the height of the support, the support also comprising a drive mechanism with actuator for moving the support along a generally linear path, and at least one bracket for mounting the drive mechanism to the side of an operating table; and a remote device for actuating the drive mechanism, the remote device configured at least in part as a controller for the support, the controller communicatively coupled to a surgical navigation system, the surgical navigation system configured to cooperate with the controller to position the support with respect to a change demanded to a boundary, the boundary defining tissue of the patient to which an automated surgical instrument should be applied and tissue of the patient to which the surgical instrument should not be applied. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 1, wherein the means for adjusting the height of the support comprises a vertical extension that is angled. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 2, wherein the drive mechanism is coupled to the extension. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 3, wherein the extension defines a plurality of generally spaced openings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 4, further comprising a pin for releasably locking the extension in a predetermined position via the generally spaced openings. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 1, further comprising a foot-operated switch for the remote device, as an emergency override to the surgical navigation system, the foot-operated switch configured to be communicatively coupled to the remote device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 1, wherein the surgical navigation system comprises a surgical tracker, a navigation processor, and a boundary generator module running on the navigation processor, and wherein the controller comprises a processor and a platform control module running on the remote device processor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a cylindrical, padded component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is electrically powered. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for positioning a patient during a surgical procedure comprising: a support adapted to be positioned against a portion of the patient's body, the support comprising means for adjusting the height of the support, the support also comprising a first drive mechanism with actuator for moving the support along a generally linear path, and at least one bracket for mounting the drive mechanism to the side of an operating table; a remote device for actuating the drive mechanism, the remote device configured at least in part as a controller for the support, the controller communicatively coupled to a surgical navigation system; and a side pad adapted to be positioned against the patient's body, on the same side as the portion of the patient's body, the side pad comprising a second drive mechanism with actuator for laterally moving the side pad relative to a side of the operating table, and at least one bracket for mounting the second drive mechanism to the side of an operating table, the remote device also configured for actuating the second drive mechanism of the side pad, the surgical navigation system configured to cooperate with the controller to position the support and the side pad with respect to a change demanded to a boundary, the boundary defining tissue of the patient to which an automated surgical instrument should be applied and tissue of the patient to which the surgical instrument should not be applied. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 10, wherein the means for adjusting the height of the support comprises a vertical extension that is angled. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 11, wherein the drive mechanism for the support is coupled to the extension. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 12, wherein the extension defines a plurality of generally spaced openings. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 13, further comprising a pin for releasably locking the extension in a predetermined position via the generally spaced openings. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 10, further comprising a foot-operated switch for the remote device, as an emergency override to the surgical navigation system, the foot-operated switch configured to be communicatively coupled to the remote device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 10, wherein the surgical navigation system comprises a surgical tracker, a navigation processor, and a boundary generator module running on the navigation processor, and wherein the controller comprises a processor and a platform control module and a side pad control module running on the remote device processor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus for positioning a patient of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism is electrically powered.