Robotic and navigated rod bending

A system for performing spinal operations comprising:

• a motion table operable in response to receiving instructions from a surgical system, to transmit powered motion to an implantable surgical component;
• a removable sterile cartridge operatively connected to the motion table, the sterile cartridge having portions for receiving the implantable surgical component therein to which powered motion is to be applied;
• a sheet-like sterile barrier having opposite sterile and non-sterile barrier surfaces secured between the motion table and the sterile cartridge to define a non-sterile region including the motion table and a sterile region above the motion table and including the sterile cartridge therein;
• at least one floating, sterile coupling located on the sterile barrier and rotatably secured relative thereto, so that rotation of the coupling does not rotate the sterile barrier, the coupling extending between the barrier surfaces to define sterile and non-sterile coupling ends to interconnect the motion table and the sterile cartridge/

A method for isolating non-sterile powered mechanical components actuatable by a robotic surgery system to perform a robotic-assisted spinal operation on a patient in a sterile field, the method comprising:

• placing a sterile barrier between the non-sterile powered mechanical components associated with a contemplated procedure of the operation, and a sterile location accessible to a movable arm of the robotic surgical system located in the sterile field, thereby defining non-sterile and sterile regions of the robotic surgery system, the sterile barrier having at least on floating coupling mounted thereto and extending between non-sterile and sterile sides of the sterile barrier, the floating coupling mounted to be movable without inducing movement of the sterile barrier;
• positioning the floating coupling in operative proximity to a predetermined one of the powered mechanical components;
• and
• interconnecting the predetermined one of the powered mechanical components and the sterile location through the floating coupling to permit the robotic assisted procedure on the sterile side in response to actuation of the predetermined one of the non-sterile mechanical components, whereby the sterile region is isolated from the non-sterile mechanical components during the robotic assisted procedure.