Frederick C Haer

6351662, Feb 26, 2002

May 24, 1999

09/317679

Joel I. Franck - Durham ME
Frederick C. Haer - Brunswick ME
Ronald J. Franklin - Bowdoinham ME

Neutar L.L.C. - Bowdowinham ME

A61B 505

600429

A method for determining a mapping between coordinates relative to a body and corresponding coordinates in a three-dimensional image of the body in stereotactic surgery. The method includes attaching an instrumented pointing device to the body, for example, attaching the pointing device directly to a skull. The pointing device includes an arm and an instrumented joint for coupling the arm to the body and for generating a position signal encoding a position of the arm relative to the joint. The method includes positioning the arm at each of a plurality of known points on the body, each of the known points corresponding to a known location in the three-dimensional image, and generating the position signal when the arm is positioned at each of the known points. The method then includes determining from the position signals and the known locations of the points in the three-dimensional image a mapping between a coordinate system that is fixed relative to the anchor and a coordinate system of the three-dimensional image.

6459927, Oct 1, 2002

Oct 27, 2000

09/698294

Ronald J. Franklin - Bowdoinham ME
Joel I. Franck - Durham ME
Frederick C. Haer - Brunswick ME

Neutar, LLC - Bowdoinham ME

A61B 5055

600429, 606130, 600417, 378205

A customized positioning fixture is fabricated specifically for a patient the purpose of positioning a portion, or all, of the patients body relative to a medical apparatus. The customized positioning fixture is fabricated such that the relative position of the patent to the medical apparatus is predetermined before a procedure is performed on the patient using the apparatus. The positioning fixture is fabricated using a computer-aided or an automated computer-controlled process according to data determined for that patient, for example, using a rapid prototyping and tooling (RPT) technique. In some embodiments, the positioning fixture is designed to be repeatedly removed and reattached to the patient, thereby allowing the patient to be repeatedly precisely re-positioned in the medical device is separated sessions. A second positioning fixture can also be fabricated so that the patient can be positioned relative to a second apparatus in a way that the patients position in the two different apparatuses is related in a desired manner.

6529765, Mar 4, 2003

May 24, 1999

09/317794

Joel I. Franck - Durham ME
Frederick C. Haer - Brunswick ME
Ronald J. Franklin - Bowdoinham ME

Neutar L.L.C. - Bowdoinham ME

A61B 500

600427, 600429, 606130

A method and apparatus for stereotactic surgery on a body, such as surgery on the brain or spine. A guidance fixture is used that includes a mounting base having a central axis, a controllable instrument drive for moving a surgical instrument along a constrained trajectory in response to a drive control signal, an actuated adjustment mechanism coupled between the mounting base and the controllable instrument drive, and a sensor system coupled to the adjustment mechanism. The mounting base of the guidance fixture is attached to the body and a location of the mounting base in a three-dimensional image of the body is determined, for example, using a remote sensing device, such as a camera, and tracking markers, such as LEDs, attached to the guidance fixture. Sensor signals encoding the orientation of the constrained trajectory and encoding a position of the surgical instrument along the constrained trajectory are generated and transmitted from the guidance fixture. An adjustment control signal is received and the orientation of the constrained trajectory relative to the mounting base is adjusted in response to the received adjustment control signal.

6546277, Apr 8, 2003

May 24, 1999

09/317676

Joel I. Franck - Durham ME
Frederick C. Haer - Brunswick ME
Ronald J. Franklin - Bowdoinham ME

Neutar L.L.C. - Bowdoinham ME

A61B 600

600426, 600427, 600429, 606130

A method and apparatus for positioning a surgical instrument during stereotactic surgery on a body, for example, during spinal surgery or general surgery. A mounting device is attached to a bone structure of the body, for example, by attaching a rail to the spine for spinal surgery. In spinal surgery, the rail is attached to the spine by clamping the rail to two spinous processes and adjusting the separation of the two spinous processes to match the separation of the two processes in three-dimensional scanned image, thereby matching a curvature of the spine with a corresponding curvature of the spine in the image. Multiple of fiducial points are located on the body in relation to the mounting device. An adjustable guidance fixture that includes an instrument guide for guiding the surgical instrument along a constrained trajectory relative to the instrument guide is attached to the mounting device.

6738657, May 18, 2004

Dec 4, 2002

09/869551

Ronald J. Franklin - Bowdoinham ME
Joel I. Franck - Durham ME
Frederick C. Haer - Brunswick ME

Neutar L.L.C. - Bowdoinham ME

A61B 505

600429

A customized surgical fixture ( ) is formed by scanning a body to form a three-dimensional image of the body, and then identifying in the image a target ( ) in the body, and mounting points or structures ( ) on the body. A model, such as a computer solid model, of the fixture ( ) is specified in accordance with the locations of the target ( ) and mounting structures ( ) or points. The fixture ( ) is formed in accordance with the model of the fixture ( ), for example using a rapid prototyping and tooling machine. When attached to the body, the fixture ( ) can be used to guide a surgical instrument ( ) into the body, for example, by using a mechanical guide ( ) attached to the fixture ( ) or using a remote sensing device ( ) that tracks the relative position of the customized fixture ( ) and the surgical instrument.

20030120143, Jun 26, 2003

Oct 1, 2002

10/262524

Ronald Franklin - Bowdoinham ME, US
Joel Franck - Durham ME, US
Frederick Haer - Brunswick ME, US

Neutar, LLC, a Maine corporation

A61B005/05

600/407000

A customized positioning fixture is fabricated specifically for a patient the purpose of positioning a portion, or all, of the patient's body relative to a medical apparatus. The customized positioning fixture is fabricated such that the relative position of the patent to the medical apparatus is predetermined before a procedure is performed on the patient using the apparatus. The positioning fixture is fabricated using a computer-aided or an automated computer-controlled process according to data determined for that patient, for example, using a rapid prototyping and tooling (RPT) technique. In some embodiments, the positioning fixture is designed to be repeatedly removed and reattached to the patient, thereby allowing the patient to be repeatedly precisely re-positioned in the medical device is separated sessions. A second positioning fixture can also be fabricated so that the patient can be positioned relative to a second apparatus in a way that the patient's position in the two different apparatuses is related in a desired manner.

20030187351, Oct 2, 2003

Mar 28, 2003

10/402499

Joel Franck - Durham ME, US
Frederick Haer - Brunswick ME, US
Ronald Franklin - Bowdoinham ME, US

Neutar L.L.C., a Maine corporation

A61B005/05

600/429000

A method and apparatus for positioning a surgical instrument during stereotactic surgery on a body, for example, during spinal surgery or general surgery. A mounting device is attached to a bone structure of the body, for example, by attaching a rail to the spine for spinal surgery, or a mounting plate and a rod attached to the mounting plate. In spinal surgery, the rail is attached to the spine by clamping the rail to two spinous processes and adjusting the separation of the two spinous processes to match the separation of the two processes in three-dimensional scanned image, thereby matching a curvature of the spine with a corresponding curvature of the spine in the image. Multiple of fiducial points are located on the body in relation to the mounting device. An adjustable guidance fixture that includes an instrument guide for guiding the surgical instrument along a constrained trajectory relative to the instrument guide is attached to the mounting device. A location and orientation of the instrument guide is tracked and a position of the constrained trajectory in the three-dimensional image is computed. The guidance fixture is adjusted relative to the mounting device using a first constrained motion followed by a second constrained motion, so that the constrained trajectory of the instrument guide passes through the target.

20050085719, Apr 21, 2005

May 18, 2004

10/848588

Ronald Franklin - Bowdoinham ME, US
Joel Franck - Durharm ME, US
Frederick Haer - Brunswick ME, US

A61B019/00
A61B005/05

600424000, 606130000, 128920000

A customized surgical fixture () is formed by scanning a body to form a three-dimensional image of the body, and then identifying in the image a target () in the body, and mounting points or structures () on the body. A model, such as a computer solid model, of the fixture () is specified in accordance with the locations of the target () and mounting structures () or points. The fixture () is formed in accordance with the model of the fixture (), for example using a rapid prototyping and tooling machine. When attached to the body, the fixture () can be used to guide a surgical instrument () into the body, for example, by using a mechanical guide () attached to the fixture () or using a remote sensing device () that tracks the relative position of the customized fixture () and the surgical instrument.