Path planning for minimally-invasive knee surgery using a hybrid optimization procedure.

The aim of this study was to develop a procedure for medical tool path planning in minimally-invasive knee surgery. The collision-free paths for the tool were obtained using the control locations method with a hybrid optimization strategy. The tool and knee elements were described with surface meshes. The knee model allowed for bones displacement and variable incision size and location. The proposed procedure was proven to be effective in path planning for minimally-invasive surgery. It can serve as a valuable aid in surgery planning and may also be used in systems for autonomous or semi-autonomous knee surgery.