Fluorescent visual tracheal intubation method and related equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a fluorescent visual tracheal intubation method and related equipment, and relates to the field of medical nursing, the method comprises the following steps: spraying or injecting a fluorescent dye into the trachea of a patient to enable the fluorescent dye to cover the trachea opening area; a flexible fluorescent bronchoscope with an exciting light source is adopted to enter an oral cavity or a nasal cavity, and near-infrared exciting light is emitted to excite a fluorescent dye to generate a fluorescent signal; the method comprises the following steps: acquiring a common light image and a fluorescence image, and transmitting the common light image and the fluorescence image to terminal equipment; the terminal device processes the common light image and the fluorescence image, and identifies the position of the trachea opening with enhanced fluorescence based on the processed common light image and fluorescence image; according to the tracheal opening position, an operator is guided or a flexible bronchoscope is driven to complete tracheal intubation, and the tracheal catheter is placed into the trachea of a patient. The trachea opening can be positioned more stably, reliably and efficiently in a complex airway environment, the success rate of trachea intubation is remarkably increased, and complications are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification relates to the field of medical care, and more specifically, this application relates to a fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation method and related equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In surgical anesthesia, emergency resuscitation, and critical care, accurate and rapid endotracheal intubation is crucial. Traditional endotracheal intubation methods often rely on the surgeon's experience and feel, which can lead to intubation failure or an increased complication rate. To improve this situation, technologies such as video laryngoscopy and augmented reality have been introduced, but these methods still have certain limitations. The main issue is the need to identify important anatomical landmarks in the oropharynx to locate the tracheal opening. However, when there is increased secretion and limited visibility, making it difficult to clearly visualize the oropharyngeal anatomy, these techniques struggle to achieve precise localization, leading to increased intubation failure rates or prolonged procedure times.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation method and related equipment to at least solve some of the above-mentioned problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The summary section introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. This summary section is not intended to limit the key and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application proposes a fluorescent visualization method for endotracheal intubation, comprising: Fluorescent dye is sprayed or injected into the patient's trachea so that the fluorescent dye covers the tracheal opening area. A flexible fluorescent bronchoscope with an excitation light source is used to enter the oral cavity or nasal cavity, and the excitation light source emits 700nm~900nm near-infrared excitation light to excite the fluorescent dye to generate a fluorescent signal. The ordinary light image and the fluorescence image are acquired simultaneously through an optical multi-channel acquisition system, and the ordinary light image and the fluorescence image are transmitted to the terminal device. The terminal device processes the ordinary light image and the fluorescence image, and identifies the location of the fluorescently enhanced tracheal opening based on the processed ordinary light image and the fluorescence image. Based on the location of the tracheal opening, guide the operator or drive the flexible bronchoscope to complete the tracheal intubation and place the tracheal tube into the patient's trachea.

[0006] In one feasible implementation, the above-mentioned processing of the ordinary light image and the fluorescence image by the terminal device, and the identification of the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening based on the processed ordinary light image and the fluorescence image, includes: Threshold segmentation is performed on the fluorescence image to distinguish between the bright regions of spontaneous fluorescence and the dark regions of no fluorescence. Based on the airway anatomy in the above ordinary light image, the position of the bright area after the above threshold segmentation is corrected. Evaluation indicators were constructed based on the brightness, area, shape, and correspondence with the airway anatomical structures of the aforementioned spontaneously fluorescent bright regions, and the aforementioned spontaneously fluorescent bright regions were screened to obtain target bright regions. The center point of the aforementioned bright target area is calculated as the location of the fluorescently enhanced tracheal opening.

[0007] In one feasible implementation, the above-mentioned method of guiding the operator or driving a flexible bronchoscope to complete endotracheal intubation based on the location of the tracheal opening, and placing the endotracheal tube into the patient's trachea, includes: Based on the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening position described above, the offset of the tracheal opening position in the central region of the ordinary light image is calculated. Based on the aforementioned offset, motion control parameters for controlling the aforementioned flexible fluorescent bronchoscope are generated. The aforementioned motion control parameters include the travel speed, rotation speed, and end-bending angle of the aforementioned flexible fluorescent bronchoscope. The motion control parameters are sent to the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope, so that the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope automatically adjusts its direction of travel toward the tracheal opening under real-time navigation feedback. After the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope enters the tracheal opening, the motion control parameters are corrected based on the continuously updated ordinary light image and the fluorescent image to keep the tracheal opening in the center region of the image. After the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope is stably positioned in the trachea, the tracheal tube is advanced along the guiding path of the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope to insert the tracheal tube into the middle of the patient's trachea.

[0008] In one feasible implementation, the above-mentioned generation of motion control parameters for controlling the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope based on the aforementioned offset includes: The above offset is decomposed to obtain component offset values ​​along the travel direction, rotation direction, and end bending direction; Based on the aforementioned component offset values, an adaptive control function is constructed using the aforementioned terminal device to generate the corresponding initial travel speed, initial rotation speed, and initial end-bending angle. Safety constraints are applied to correct the initial travel speed, initial rotation speed, and initial end-bending angle. The aforementioned travel speed, rotation speed, and end-bending angle, after being corrected by the aforementioned safety constraints, constitute the aforementioned motion control parameters.

[0009] In one feasible implementation, the adaptive control function dynamically adjusts the control gain based on the mechanical structural characteristics of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope, the curvature constraint of the intubation path, and the local anatomical width of the patient's airway.

[0010] In one feasible implementation, the aforementioned safety constraint correction includes limiting the maximum rate of change of the aforementioned end bending angle, suppressing the instantaneous abrupt change in the aforementioned travel speed, and automatically reducing the aforementioned rotational speed based on the tissue contact risk detected in the aforementioned ordinary light image.

[0011] In one feasible implementation, before identifying the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening, the method further includes: The terminal device performs dynamic intensity calibration on the fluorescence brightness distribution of the fluorescence image. The dynamic intensity calibration includes compensating for the fluorescence brightness based on the light power of the excitation light source, the fluorescence attenuation characteristics of the fluorescent dye, and the degree of obstruction by the airway secretions, so as to enhance the contrast between the fluorescence signal and the background area.

[0012] Secondly, the present invention also proposes a fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation system, comprising: A fluorescent unit is used to spray or inject fluorescent dye into the patient's trachea so that the fluorescent dye covers the tracheal opening area. The excitation unit is used to enter the oral cavity or nasal cavity with a flexible fluorescent bronchoscope equipped with an excitation light source, and to use the excitation light source to emit 700nm~900nm near-infrared excitation light to excite the fluorescent dye to generate a fluorescent signal. An image acquisition and transmission unit is used to simultaneously acquire ordinary light images and fluorescence images through an optical multi-channel acquisition system, and transmit the ordinary light images and fluorescence images to a terminal device. The image processing unit is used to process the ordinary light image and the fluorescence image by the terminal device, and to identify the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening based on the processed ordinary light image and the fluorescence image. The guiding unit is used to guide the operator or drive the flexible bronchoscope to complete endotracheal intubation based on the location of the tracheal opening, and to place the endotracheal tube into the patient's trachea.

[0013] Thirdly, the present invention also proposes an electronic device comprising: a memory and a processor, characterized in that the processor is used to execute a computer program stored in the memory to implement the steps of the fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0014] Fourthly, the present invention also proposes a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the fluorescence visualization endotracheal intubation method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0015] In summary, this method utilizes near-infrared fluorescent dyes to mark the tracheal opening, enabling it to exhibit highly distinguishable bright spot features in subsequent imaging. Even in the presence of abundant secretions, blood, or light interference, it still achieves higher contrast than ordinary anatomical images, fundamentally solving the problem of reliance on anatomical clarity in traditional video laryngoscopy. This method uses 700nm–900nm near-infrared excitation light emitted from a flexible fluorescent bronchoscope, giving the fluorescence signal strong penetration and low background noise characteristics. It is unaffected by local obstruction from the oropharynx, angle limitations, or interference from ordinary light reflection, greatly improving the stability and reliability of tracheal opening imaging and significantly reducing the risk of misjudgment in complex airway scenarios. This method employs an optical multi-channel acquisition system to simultaneously acquire ordinary light and fluorescence images, and performs intelligent processing operations such as image fusion, threshold segmentation, bright area screening, and spatial correction through terminal equipment. This allows for precise identification of the tracheal opening location using algorithms, rather than relying solely on operator visual judgment or experience, reducing reliance on operator skill levels and improving operational standardization. In an alternative approach, the terminal device further automatically generates motion control parameters based on the identified tracheal opening location to assist the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope in automatic or semi-automatic navigation, enabling the scope to approach the tracheal opening along an optimal path or even directly enter the trachea. This capability is particularly crucial in high-risk scenarios such as poor field of vision, structural narrowing, and patient non-cooperation, effectively reducing intubation failure rates, shortening intubation time, and improving patient safety.

[0016] Other advantages, objectives and features of this application will be apparent in part from the description which follows, and in part from what those skilled in the art will understand through study and practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this specification. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1This application provides a schematic diagram of a fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation method. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation system provided in this application embodiment; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device structure provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc. (if present) in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than that illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus. The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will now be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them.

[0019] Please see Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation method provided in an embodiment of this application, which may specifically include: In a first aspect, this application proposes a fluorescent visualization method for endotracheal intubation, comprising: S110. Spray or inject fluorescent dye into the patient's trachea so that the fluorescent dye covers the tracheal opening area. S120. A flexible fluorescent bronchoscope with an excitation light source is used to enter the oral cavity or nasal cavity, and the above-mentioned excitation light source is used to emit 700nm~900nm near-infrared excitation light to excite the fluorescent dye to generate a fluorescent signal. S130. Simultaneously acquire ordinary light images and fluorescence images through an optical multi-channel acquisition system, and transmit the above-mentioned ordinary light images and fluorescence images to the terminal device; S140. The terminal device processes the ordinary light image and the fluorescence image, and identifies the location of the fluorescently enhanced tracheal opening based on the processed ordinary light image and the fluorescence image. S150. Based on the location of the tracheal opening, guide the operator or drive the flexible bronchoscope to complete the tracheal intubation and place the tracheal tube into the patient's trachea.

[0020] For example, the fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation method uses fluorescent dye to mark the tracheal opening and combines it with near-infrared imaging and intelligent image processing technology to achieve real-time visual identification and navigation of the tracheal opening location. First, in step S110, before intubation, medical personnel deliver fluorescent dye into the patient's trachea by spraying or injecting, creating a relatively uniform coverage of the fluorescent dye on the tracheal opening and surrounding mucosa. The fluorescent dye is preferably a clinically applicable near-infrared fluorescent dye with good biocompatibility, such as indocyanine green, which generates a stable fluorescence signal after absorbing near-infrared excitation light of a specific wavelength. This preprocessing step allows for significant differentiation in brightness and contrast between the tracheal opening area and the surrounding unlabeled tissue during subsequent imaging.

[0021] Next, in step S120, the operator inserts a flexible fluorescent bronchoscope equipped with an excitation light source into the patient's upper respiratory tract via the mouth or nose. The flexible fluorescent bronchoscope has an integrated light source module at its tip that emits near-infrared excitation light in the 700nm–900nm wavelength range. When the light source is activated, the near-infrared light irradiates the tracheal opening area, which is already covered by fluorescent dye, within the airway, exciting a characteristic fluorescent signal. Because near-infrared light has good tissue penetration and low background interference from autologous tissue, even in the presence of secretions, blood, or poor visibility in the oropharynx, the fluorescent signal can still be clearly reflected or emitted from the tracheal opening area, providing high-contrast information for subsequent image acquisition and recognition.

[0022] In step S130, this embodiment uses an optical multi-channel acquisition system mounted on a flexible fluorescence bronchoscope to simultaneously acquire both ordinary light and fluorescence images. The ordinary light image primarily reflects the outlines of anatomical structures within the airway, such as the base of the tongue, epiglottis, and glottis, while the fluorescence image highlights bright spots or areas of tracheal opening marked with fluorescent dye. The two image data streams are transmitted in real-time to a terminal device via a specially designed optical guide or data cable. This terminal device can be an anesthesia workstation, a monitoring system, or a dedicated image processing terminal. Synchronous acquisition ensures that the ordinary light and fluorescence images at the same time point are consistent both spatially and temporally, providing a basis for subsequent joint analysis.

[0023] Subsequently, in step S140, the terminal device performs comprehensive processing on the received ordinary light image and fluorescence image. Specifically, the terminal device first performs preprocessing operations such as noise reduction, brightness normalization, and edge enhancement on the image to improve image quality. Then, on the fluorescence image, it uses threshold segmentation, region growing, or other image segmentation algorithms to extract bright areas with significantly higher fluorescence intensity than the background. Combining this with the positional relationship of airway anatomical structures in the ordinary light image, it performs spatial correction and screening on these bright areas to eliminate interference from non-tracheal regions or pseudo-fluorescence sources. Through the above processing, the terminal device finally determines one or more candidate fluorescence enhancement regions and calculates the center position of the target bright region. This center position is used as the precise location result of the tracheal opening, realizing the automatic identification of the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening.

[0024] In step S150, this embodiment provides intubation navigation for clinical procedures based on the identified tracheal opening location. On one hand, the terminal device can visually present the tracheal opening location to the operator on the display interface using highlighted markers, overlaid cursors, or trajectory prompts. This allows the operator to quickly adjust the direction and depth of the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope or endotracheal tube under normal manual operation, shortening the time spent locating the glottis and tracheal opening. On the other hand, in an optional embodiment, the terminal device can also calculate the required travel direction, bending angle, or rotation angle of the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope based on the relative position of the tracheal opening in the image, thereby sending control commands to the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope or its associated mechanical actuator to automatically or semi-automatically fine-tune the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope toward the tracheal opening. After the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope stably reaches the tracheal opening and enters the trachea, the operator smoothly inserts the endotracheal tube along the pre-formed path of the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope, ultimately placing the endotracheal tube into the middle of the patient's trachea, completing the intubation procedure.

[0025] In summary, this method utilizes near-infrared fluorescent dyes to mark the tracheal opening, enabling it to exhibit highly distinguishable bright spot features in subsequent imaging. Even in the presence of abundant secretions, blood, or light interference, it still achieves higher contrast than ordinary anatomical images, fundamentally solving the problem of reliance on anatomical clarity in traditional video laryngoscopy. This method uses 700nm–900nm near-infrared excitation light emitted from a flexible fluorescent bronchoscope, giving the fluorescence signal strong penetration and low background noise characteristics. It is unaffected by local obstruction from the oropharynx, angle limitations, or interference from ordinary light reflection, greatly improving the stability and reliability of tracheal opening imaging and significantly reducing the risk of misjudgment in complex airway scenarios. This method employs an optical multi-channel acquisition system to simultaneously acquire ordinary light and fluorescence images, and performs intelligent processing operations such as image fusion, threshold segmentation, bright area screening, and spatial correction through terminal equipment. This allows for precise identification of the tracheal opening location using algorithms, rather than relying solely on operator visual judgment or experience, reducing reliance on operator skill levels and improving operational standardization. In an alternative approach, the terminal device further automatically generates motion control parameters based on the identified tracheal opening location to assist the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope in automatic or semi-automatic navigation, enabling the scope to approach the tracheal opening along an optimal path or even directly enter the trachea. This capability is particularly crucial in high-risk scenarios such as poor field of vision, structural narrowing, and patient non-cooperation, effectively reducing intubation failure rates, shortening intubation time, and improving patient safety.

[0026] In one feasible implementation, the above-mentioned processing of the ordinary light image and the fluorescence image by the terminal device, and the identification of the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening based on the processed ordinary light image and the fluorescence image, includes: Threshold segmentation is performed on the fluorescence image to distinguish between the bright regions of spontaneous fluorescence and the dark regions of no fluorescence. Based on the airway anatomy in the above ordinary light image, the position of the bright area after the above threshold segmentation is corrected. Evaluation indicators were constructed based on the brightness, area, shape, and correspondence with the airway anatomical structures of the aforementioned spontaneously fluorescent bright regions, and the aforementioned spontaneously fluorescent bright regions were screened to obtain target bright regions. The center point of the aforementioned bright target area is calculated as the location of the fluorescently enhanced tracheal opening.

[0027] For example, the aforementioned terminal device performs joint processing on the aforementioned ordinary light image and the aforementioned fluorescence image to achieve automatic identification of the location of the fluorescently enhanced tracheal opening. Specifically, firstly, threshold segmentation processing is performed on the aforementioned fluorescence image, that is, one or more thresholds are set in the grayscale or brightness space, and areas with fluorescence intensity higher than the preset threshold are extracted as self-fluorescent bright areas, while areas with weak fluorescence signals or close to background noise are classified as non-fluorescent dark areas. Through this processing step, the tissue near the tracheal opening bound to the fluorescent dye can be initially separated from the overall airway background, making subsequent identification more focused and efficient.

[0028] Based on the airway anatomical structure information in the aforementioned ordinary light image, the terminal device performs position correction on the bright areas after threshold segmentation. Since fluorescence images may be affected by changes in viewing angle, uneven illumination, or slight device movement during acquisition, leading to deviations between the position of the bright areas and the actual anatomical structures, this embodiment utilizes visible anatomical landmarks in the ordinary light image (such as the glottis, epiglottic margin, and the contours of the anterior and posterior tracheal walls) to spatially match and register the bright areas in the fluorescence image with the anatomical structures in the ordinary light image. This corrects the position of the bright areas in the image coordinates, making them more accurately correspond to the actual tracheal opening region.

[0029] Based on the aforementioned positional correction, the terminal device uses the aforementioned spontaneously fluorescent bright areas as candidate regions and constructs evaluation indicators by comprehensively considering brightness, area, shape, and correspondence with the aforementioned airway anatomical structures. Specifically, on the one hand, brightness reflects the concentration of fluorescent dye and signal intensity; higher brightness generally indicates a closer approximation to the actual tracheal opening. On the other hand, area and shape features can be used to eliminate excessively small noise points or abnormal regions whose shapes clearly do not conform to the anatomical features of the tracheal opening. Simultaneously, the system also utilizes information such as the airway contour and tracheal direction in the aforementioned ordinary light image to determine whether the spontaneously fluorescent bright areas are located in reasonable tracheal anatomical positions. Through the comprehensive calculation and ranking of the aforementioned multi-dimensional evaluation indicators, all spontaneously fluorescent bright areas are screened, ultimately obtaining the target bright area that best meets the preset standards.

[0030] After identifying the target bright area, the terminal device calculates the center point of the target bright area and uses this center point as the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening. In this way, this embodiment can not only reliably extract the signal region related to the fluorescent dye from a complex background, but also perform fine correction and screening in conjunction with anatomical structures, thereby locating the specific position of the tracheal opening with high accuracy and robustness, providing a reliable spatial coordinate basis for subsequent navigation of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope and precise insertion of the tracheal tube.

[0031] In one feasible implementation, the above-mentioned method of guiding the operator or driving a flexible bronchoscope to complete endotracheal intubation based on the location of the tracheal opening, and placing the endotracheal tube into the patient's trachea, includes: Based on the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening position described above, the offset of the tracheal opening position in the central region of the ordinary light image is calculated. Based on the aforementioned offset, motion control parameters for controlling the aforementioned flexible fluorescent bronchoscope are generated. The aforementioned motion control parameters include the travel speed, rotation speed, and end-bending angle of the aforementioned flexible fluorescent bronchoscope. The motion control parameters are sent to the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope, so that the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope automatically adjusts its direction of travel toward the tracheal opening under real-time navigation feedback. After the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope enters the tracheal opening, the motion control parameters are corrected based on the continuously updated ordinary light image and the fluorescent image to keep the tracheal opening in the center region of the image. After the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope is stably positioned in the trachea, the tracheal tube is advanced along the guiding path of the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope to insert the tracheal tube into the middle of the patient's trachea.

[0032] For example, the above-mentioned guidance of the intubation process based on the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening mainly achieves precise navigation of the tracheal tube through the linkage of image coordinates and the motion control of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope. Specifically, after identifying the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening, the terminal device compares the coordinates of the tracheal opening location in the current ordinary light image with a preset image center region, and calculates the offset of the tracheal opening location relative to the image center. This offset can include horizontal offset, vertical offset, and the trend of change in the depth direction, used to quantitatively reflect the spatial deviation between the current field of view of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope and the target tracheal opening.

[0033] After obtaining the aforementioned offset, the terminal device generates motion control parameters for controlling the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope. Specifically, the terminal device can decompose and map the offset into adjustments for the travel speed, rotation speed, and end-bending angle of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope using a preset control algorithm: when the tracheal opening deviates from the image center, the travel speed is appropriately increased or decreased to avoid overshoot or lag; the rotation speed is adjusted to change the orientation of the scope; and the end-bending angle is controlled to gradually align the lens tip with the direction of the tracheal opening. The setting of these motion control parameters not only considers the magnitude and direction of the offset but also takes into account the curvature of the patient's airway and the mechanical structural characteristics of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope for amplitude limiting and optimization to ensure a smooth and safe adjustment process.

[0034] The terminal device sends the generated motion control parameters to the control module of the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope, enabling the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope to automatically adjust its direction of travel toward the tracheal opening under real-time navigation feedback. During this process, the motion state of the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope and the image information displayed by the terminal device form a closed loop. The terminal device continuously receives updated ordinary light and fluorescent images, and monitors the relative position between the endoscope and the tracheal opening in real time, thus ensuring that each adjustment is made in a direction that minimizes the offset and approaches the target opening.

[0035] Once the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope successfully enters the tracheal opening, this embodiment does not immediately cease the linkage between image and control. Instead, it continues to correct the motion control parameters based on continuously updated ordinary light and fluorescent images. At this time, the terminal device focuses on monitoring the positional changes of the tracheal opening and the inner wall of the tracheal lumen in the image, fine-tuning the travel speed and the tip bending angle to keep the tracheal opening position as central as possible in the image. This ensures that the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope moves smoothly along the longitudinal direction of the tracheal lumen, reducing excessive contact or collision with the tracheal wall and improving intubation comfort and safety.

[0036] Once the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope is stably positioned at an appropriate depth within the trachea after the aforementioned navigation and fine-tuning, the operator can advance the endotracheal tube along the guide path formed by the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope. Because the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope has pre-guided the endotracheal tube, and its path has been image-guided and corrected multiple times, the endotracheal tube can enter the mid-trachea along the predetermined path during advancement, significantly reducing the risk of accidental entry into the esophagus or deviation from the airway. Ultimately, through the aforementioned series of automatic or semi-automatic navigation controls based on the tracheal opening position, this embodiment achieves a complete closed-loop intubation process from image recognition to mechanical guidance to accurate endotracheal tube placement, combining accuracy, safety, and ease of operation.

[0037] In one feasible implementation, the above-mentioned generation of motion control parameters for controlling the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope based on the aforementioned offset includes: The above offset is decomposed to obtain component offset values ​​along the travel direction, rotation direction, and end bending direction; Based on the aforementioned component offset values, an adaptive control function is constructed using the aforementioned terminal device to generate the corresponding initial travel speed, initial rotation speed, and initial end-bending angle. Safety constraints are applied to correct the initial travel speed, initial rotation speed, and initial end-bending angle. The aforementioned travel speed, rotation speed, and end-bending angle, after being corrected by the aforementioned safety constraints, constitute the aforementioned motion control parameters.

[0038] For example, the aforementioned offset is decomposed by decomposing the offset representing the difference between the tracheal opening position and the image center region into the direction of travel, rotation, and end-bending of the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope, thereby obtaining component offset values ​​along the direction of travel, rotation, and end-bending. This decomposition method clearly distinguishes which deviations need to be corrected by adjusting the forward speed, which require adjusting the scope rotation, and which mainly rely on end-bending for fine alignment, providing clear input for subsequent control quantity calculations.

[0039] After obtaining the aforementioned component offset values, this embodiment constructs an adaptive control function through the terminal device to generate the corresponding initial travel speed, initial rotation speed, and initial end-effector bending angle. Specifically, the adaptive control function uses the aforementioned component offset values ​​as input variables and dynamically adjusts the control gain and response sensitivity by combining parameters such as the mechanical structural characteristics of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope (e.g., maximum bending angle, minimum allowable turning radius), the expected curvature of the intubation path, and the local anatomical width of the patient's airway. When the component offset value is large, the control function can output a more significant speed or angle adjustment to quickly reduce the deviation; when the component offset value is small, it outputs a smaller adjustment amount to avoid over-correction that could lead to scope wobbling or instability. Through the aforementioned adaptive control function, this embodiment enables the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope to obtain personalized and smooth control responses under different patients and different airway morphologies.

[0040] To ensure the safety and comfort of the intubation process, this embodiment implements safety constraint corrections for the initial travel speed, initial rotation speed, and initial distal end bending angle. These corrections may include: setting a maximum rate of change limit for the distal end bending angle to prevent sudden, large-scale bending of the endpiece from causing airway mucosal damage; limiting the travel speed and smoothing acceleration to prevent the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope from advancing too quickly when approaching the tracheal opening and glottis; and automatically reducing the rotation and travel speeds when a risk of tissue contact, suspected collision signs, or a deceleration command from the physician is detected in the image. By introducing these safety constraint corrections, this embodiment effectively reduces operational risks while maintaining navigation efficiency, balancing medical safety and patient experience.

[0041] Finally, the aforementioned travel speed, rotation speed, and end-bending angle, after being corrected for the safety constraints, are combined to form the motion control parameters, which are then sent by the terminal device to the drive or control module of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope. The flexible fluorescence bronchoscope performs corresponding motion adjustments accordingly, ensuring that the relative position of the endoscope trajectory and the tracheal opening gradually aligns with each other in subsequent images. Through these steps, this embodiment achieves an adaptive, safe closed-loop mapping from image offset to the motion control of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope, enabling the intubation process to not only have precise alignment capabilities but also excellent compliance and safety.

[0042] In one feasible implementation, the adaptive control function dynamically adjusts the control gain based on the mechanical structural characteristics of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope, the curvature constraint of the intubation path, and the local anatomical width of the patient's airway.

[0043] For example, after the terminal device calculates the offset of the tracheal opening position based on ordinary light and fluorescence images, it does not simply convert it directly into the travel speed, rotation speed, and end-bending angle of the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope at a fixed ratio. Instead, it first constrains the flexible fluorescence bronchoscope by incorporating its own mechanical structural characteristics, such as the maximum allowable bending angle, the single bending adjustment step size, and the response capability of the motor or cable drive. Simultaneously, it incorporates preset or real-time estimated intubation path curvature constraints to avoid overly rigid straight-line advancement in areas with significant airway curvature. Furthermore, based on the patient's local airway anatomical width, degree of narrowing, and the sensitivity of surrounding tissues, the adaptive control function automatically adjusts the control gain: higher gain and faster response are allowed in areas with ample space and relatively straight anatomical structures, while gain is reduced in narrow or sensitive areas such as near the glottis or behind the epiglottis, making the motion commands gentler and more refined, thereby achieving differentiated control for different anatomical segments.

[0044] In one feasible implementation, the aforementioned safety constraint correction includes limiting the maximum rate of change of the aforementioned end bending angle, suppressing the instantaneous abrupt change in the aforementioned travel speed, and automatically reducing the aforementioned rotational speed based on the tissue contact risk detected in the aforementioned ordinary light image.

[0045] For example, the aforementioned safety constraint correction serves as a "safety filter layer" following the adaptive control function, further processing the initially generated control parameters. Specifically, the system sets an upper limit on the rate of change of the end-effector bending angle. When an excessively rapid angle change is detected within a continuous control cycle, the adjustment amplitude is automatically compressed to prevent sudden large-angle bending of the endpiece from causing mucosal abrasions or collisions with the airway walls. Regarding travel speed, instantaneous abrupt changes are suppressed by limiting acceleration and deceleration, avoiding excessive forward momentum when approaching the tracheal opening or already entering the glottis. Furthermore, the terminal device analyzes tissue contact risks in ordinary light images in real time. For example, if an abnormally increased proportion of the airway wall in the endpiece's field of view, significant compression of tissue texture, or the appearance of suspicious contact shadows are detected, a potential collision risk is identified. The rotation speed is automatically reduced, or even the travel speed is reduced in conjunction, allowing the flexible fluorescent bronchoscope to adjust its posture more gently. This significantly reduces the risk of mechanical stimulation and trauma to airway tissues while ensuring navigation effectiveness.

[0046] In one feasible implementation, before identifying the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening, the method further includes: The terminal device performs dynamic intensity calibration on the fluorescence brightness distribution of the fluorescence image. The dynamic intensity calibration includes compensating for the fluorescence brightness based on the light power of the excitation light source, the fluorescence attenuation characteristics of the fluorescent dye, and the degree of obstruction by the airway secretions, so as to enhance the contrast between the fluorescence signal and the background area.

[0047] For example, to ensure sufficient contrast and reliability for subsequent tracheal opening recognition based on fluorescence images, the terminal device performs dynamic intensity calibration on the fluorescence brightness distribution of the fluorescence image before identifying the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening location. Specifically, the system comprehensively considers the actual optical power output of the current excitation light source, the fluorescence attenuation characteristics of the fluorescent dye in the airway environment, and the degree of obstruction of the light path by airway secretions, blood, or atomized water vapor, and compensates and normalizes the original fluorescence brightness: when the overall fluorescence brightness is detected to be low but the background noise level is high, the fluorescence signal gain is appropriately increased and random noise is suppressed. When uneven dark spots appear in local areas due to thick secretions, spatial interpolation or local contrast enhancement algorithms are used to increase the brightness difference between the target area and the surrounding background. Through the above dynamic intensity calibration, the tracheal opening area truly marked by the fluorescent dye can be made more prominent in the image, enhancing the contrast between the fluorescence signal and the background area, thereby providing a more stable and reliable fluorescence feature basis for subsequent threshold segmentation, bright area screening, and target center point calculation, improving the robustness and accuracy of the overall fluorescence visualization intubation process.

[0048] Secondly, this invention also proposes a fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation system, such as... Figure 2As shown, it includes: Fluorescent unit 21 is used to spray or inject fluorescent dye into the patient's trachea so that the fluorescent dye covers the tracheal opening area. The excitation unit 22 is used to enter the oral cavity or nasal cavity with a flexible fluorescent bronchoscope equipped with an excitation light source, and to use the excitation light source to emit 700nm~900nm near-infrared excitation light to excite the fluorescent dye to generate a fluorescent signal. The image acquisition and transmission unit 23 is used to simultaneously acquire ordinary light images and fluorescence images through an optical multi-channel acquisition system, and transmit the ordinary light images and fluorescence images to the terminal device. Image processing unit 24 is used to process the ordinary light image and the fluorescence image by the terminal device, and to identify the location of the fluorescence-enhanced tracheal opening based on the processed ordinary light image and the fluorescence image; The guiding unit 25 is used to guide the operator or drive the flexible bronchoscope to complete endotracheal intubation based on the location of the tracheal opening, and to place the endotracheal tube into the patient's trachea.

[0049] In one feasible implementation, a fluorescent visualization endotracheal intubation system can also perform any step of the method proposed in the first aspect.

[0050] Thirdly, the present invention also proposes an electronic device 300, such as... Figure 3 As shown, it includes a memory 310, a processor 320, and a computer program 311 stored in the memory 310 and executable on the processor. When the processor 320 executes the computer program 311, it implements the steps of the fluorescence visualization endotracheal intubation method as described in any of the first aspects.

[0051] Fourthly, the present invention also proposes a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the fluorescence visualization endotracheal intubation method as described in any one of the first aspects.

[0052] It should be noted that the descriptions of each embodiment in the above embodiments have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0054] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create a machine for implementing the flowchart illustrations. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0055] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0056] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0057] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes computer software instructions. When the computer software instructions are executed on a processing device, the processing device performs the voice-based identity recognition process in the corresponding embodiment. A computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the flow or function according to the embodiments of this application is generated. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that a computer can store or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state disk (SSD)).

[0058] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, or indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0060] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0061] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0062] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods of the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0063] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A method of fluorescent visualization of endotracheal tubes, characterized in that, The method comprises the following steps: Spraying or injecting a fluorescent dye into the trachea of a patient, so that the fluorescent dye covers the tracheal opening area; Using a flexible fluorescent tracheoscope with an excitation light source to enter the oral cavity or nasal cavity, and using the excitation light source to emit 700-900 nm near-infrared excitation light to excite the fluorescent dye to generate a fluorescent signal; Synchronously acquiring a normal light image and a fluorescent image by an optical multi-channel acquisition system, and transmitting the normal light image and the fluorescent image to a terminal device; Processing the normal light image and the fluorescent image by the terminal device, identifying the position of the tracheal opening with enhanced fluorescence based on the processed normal light image and the processed fluorescent image; According to the position of the tracheal opening, guiding the operator or driving the flexible tracheoscope to complete tracheal intubation and place the tracheal tube into the trachea of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The processing of the normal light image and the fluorescent image by the terminal device, and the identification of the position of the tracheal opening with enhanced fluorescence based on the processed normal light image and the processed fluorescent image, comprise: Performing threshold segmentation on the fluorescent image to distinguish the self-fluorescent bright area and the non-fluorescent dark area; Based on the airway anatomical structure in the normal light image, correcting the position of the bright area after threshold segmentation; According to the brightness, area, shape and corresponding relationship with the airway anatomical structure of the self-fluorescent bright area, constructing an evaluation index, and screening the self-fluorescent bright area to obtain a target bright area; And calculating the center point of the target bright area as the position of the tracheal opening with enhanced fluorescence.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The guiding of the operator or the driving of the flexible tracheoscope to complete tracheal intubation and place the tracheal tube into the trachea of the patient according to the position of the tracheal opening, comprises: Based on the position of the tracheal opening with enhanced fluorescence, calculating the offset of the tracheal opening position in the central region of the normal light image; According to the offset, generating a motion control parameter for controlling the flexible fluorescent tracheoscope, the motion control parameter comprising the travel speed, rotation speed and tip bending angle of the flexible fluorescent tracheoscope; Sending the motion control parameter to the flexible fluorescent tracheoscope, so that the flexible fluorescent tracheoscope automatically adjusts the travel direction towards the tracheal opening position under real-time navigation feedback; After the flexible fluorescent tracheoscope enters the tracheal opening, correcting the motion control parameter based on the continuously updated normal light image and fluorescent image to keep the tracheal opening position in the image center region; After the flexible fluorescent tracheoscope is stably positioned in the trachea, advancing the tracheal tube along the guide path of the flexible fluorescent tracheoscope to place the tracheal tube into the middle section of the trachea of the patient.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The generation of the motion control parameter for controlling the flexible fluorescent tracheoscope according to the offset, comprises: Decomposing the offset to obtain component offset values in the travel direction, rotation direction and tip bending direction; According to the component offset values, constructing an adaptive control function by the terminal device to generate corresponding initial travel speed, initial rotation speed and initial tip bending angle. safely-constrainedly correct the initial advancing speed, the initial rotating speed and the initial tip bending angle; compose the advancing speed, the rotating speed and the tip bending angle after the safely-constrained correction as the motion control parameters.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The adaptive control function dynamically adjusts the control gain based on mechanical structure characteristics of the flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope, curvature constraints of the intubation path and local anatomical width of the patient airway.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The safely-constrained correction includes limiting the maximum rate of change of the tip bending angle, suppressing instantaneous mutation of the advancing speed and automatically reducing the rotating speed according to tissue contact risk detected in the ordinary light image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, Before identifying the position of the bronchial opening with enhanced fluorescence, further comprising: performing, by the terminal device, dynamic intensity calibration on the fluorescence intensity distribution of the fluorescence image, wherein the dynamic intensity calibration includes compensating the fluorescence intensity according to light power of the excitation light source, fluorescence decay characteristics of the fluorescent dye and shielding degree of the airway secretions, so as to enhance the contrast between the fluorescence signal and the background region.

8. A fluorescently visualized endotracheal tube system, characterized in that, comprising: a fluorescence unit for spraying or injecting fluorescent dye into the patient's trachea, so that the fluorescent dye covers the tracheal opening area; an excitation unit for entering the oral cavity or nasal cavity with a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope with an excitation light source, and emitting 700nm-900nm near-infrared excitation light with the excitation light source to excite the fluorescent dye to generate a fluorescence signal; an image acquisition and transmission unit for synchronously acquiring ordinary light images and fluorescence images through an optical multi-channel acquisition system, and transmitting the ordinary light images and the fluorescence images to a terminal device; an image processing unit for processing the ordinary light images and the fluorescence images by the terminal device, and identifying the position of the bronchial opening with enhanced fluorescence based on the processed ordinary light images and the fluorescence images; a guiding unit for guiding the operator or driving the flexible bronchoscope to complete tracheal intubation and place the tracheal tube into the patient's trachea according to the position of the bronchial opening.

9. An electronic device comprising: a memory and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to implement the steps of the method for fluorescent visualization of tracheal intubation according to any one of claims 1-7 when executing a computer program stored in the memory.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, characterized in that, The computer program is configured to implement the steps of the method for fluorescent visualization of tracheal intubation according to any one of claims 1-7 when executed by the processor.

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