Universal support arm and tracking array

摘要

A universal tracking apparatus for a surgical instrument, the tracking apparatus including a support arm and tracking array. The support arm allows position adjustment of the tracking array between a number of predefined orientations relative to the instrument which are recognizeable and registerable in the navigation system. The support arm may be coupled with multiple types of surgical instruments and used to accurately define the position of the instrument in an anatomical model generated by the navigation system. The adjustable coupling between the tracking array and the support arm allows the surgeon to determine which orientation is best suited for the surgical application and also allows the surgeon to adjust the position of the tracking array during a surgical procedure without the need to re-register the tracking apparatus. The tracking array may also include at least one repositionable reference element to allow a single tracking array to be configured for use with a plurality of different instruments, wherein differing geometries defined by the tracking array and corresponding to particular instruments are recognizable and registerable by the navigation system.