A craniotomy device for animals

Abstract

The present application discloses a craniotomy device for animals, comprising a moving module, a drill bit assembly, a detection component, a load-bearing module and a control module; the moving module is used to drive the drill bit assembly to move along a first horizontal direction, a second horizontal direction and a vertical direction, wherein the first horizontal direction is perpendicular to the second horizontal direction; the drill bit assembly includes a drill body, a rotating shaft and a drill bit, the rotating shaft is rotatably installed on the drill body, the drill bit is installed on the rotating shaft, and the rotation center line of the rotating shaft is parallel to the vertical direction; the detection component is used to detect the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly; one end of the load-bearing module is fixedly connected to the drill body, and the other end is fixedly connected to the moving module, and the load-bearing module can float in the vertical direction to bear at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly; the control module is communicatively connected to the moving module, the drill bit assembly and the detection component. This craniotomy device can relatively accurately judge the degree of craniotomy, which is beneficial to improving the success rate of craniotomy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of neuroscience research devices, and particularly to a craniotomy device for animals. Background Art

[0002] In the field of neuroscience research, the brain is the main research object. To study the functional mechanisms of the brain, it is often necessary to perform a craniotomy on experimental animals to implant or inject exogenous substances into their brains. The structure and function of the brain are complex and consist of hundreds of interconnected brain regions. Therefore, craniotomy requires precise positioning and minimal damage to brain tissue.

[0003] Manually controlling a craniotomy device for surgery has high requirements for the operator. An operator lacking sufficient training may have problems with poor positioning accuracy and significant damage to brain tissue during craniotomy. With the development of automation technology, automated craniotomy devices for animals have been developed.

[0004] In related technologies, an automatic craniotomy device for animals measures the resistance change between the craniotomy point and other positions of the animal's body by connecting a resistance measurement circuit between the drill bit and other positions of the animal's body to judge the progress of craniotomy. Before craniotomy, the resistance between the craniotomy point and other positions of the body is relatively large; after craniotomy, the brain tissue at the craniotomy point is exposed, and the resistance between the craniotomy point and other positions of the body decreases. Although this device can achieve the effect of automatic craniotomy, the resistance between the craniotomy point and other positions of the body is greatly affected by other factors, such as the vascular system under the skull. During craniotomy, before complete craniotomy, the drill bit may damage the blood vessels and cause the liquid in them to flow out, resulting in a decrease in resistance and affecting the judgment of the craniotomy progress. In addition, during craniotomy, it is impossible to use physiological saline to clean and cool the skull surface because physiological saline will also change the resistance between the craniotomy point and other positions of the body. Therefore, the skull debris generated during craniotomy and the high temperature generated by the drill bit may cause pollution and damage to brain tissue.

[0005] In view of this, how to design a craniotomy device for animals that can relatively accurately judge the degree of craniotomy, thereby improving the success rate of craniotomy, is a technical problem that those skilled in the art need to solve currently. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a craniotomy device for animals that can relatively accurately judge the degree of craniotomy through structural optimization, which is beneficial to improving the success rate of craniotomy.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, this application provides a craniotomy device for animals, including a moving module, a drill bit assembly, a detection component, a load-bearing module, and a control module;

[0008] The moving module is used to drive the drill bit assembly to move in a first horizontal direction, a second horizontal direction, and a vertical direction, where the first horizontal direction is perpendicular to the second horizontal direction;

[0009] The drill bit assembly includes a drill body, a rotating shaft, and a drill bit. The rotating shaft is rotatably installed on the drill body, the drill bit is installed on the rotating shaft, and the rotation center line of the rotating shaft is parallel to the vertical direction;

[0010] The detection component is used to detect the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly;

[0011] One end of the load-bearing module is fixedly connected to the drill body, and the other end is fixedly connected to the moving module. The load-bearing module can float in the vertical direction to bear at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly;

[0012] The control module is communicatively connected to the moving module, the drill bit assembly, and the detection component.

[0013] In an achievable solution, the moving module includes three moving components. The moving component includes a moving track and a moving block, and the moving block can move along the moving track;

[0014] Wherein, the moving block of the first moving component is fixedly connected to the moving track of the second moving component, the moving block of the second moving component is fixedly connected to the moving track of the third moving component, and the moving block of the third moving component is connected to the drill body;

[0015] The extending directions of the three moving tracks are the first horizontal direction, the second horizontal direction, and the vertical direction respectively.

[0016] In an achievable solution, the moving block connected to the drill body is defined as the main body moving block. The drill body is connected to the main body moving block through a guiding module. The guiding module includes a first guiding portion and a second guiding portion. The first guiding portion extends in the vertical direction and is fixedly connected to the main body moving block. The second guiding portion is fixedly connected to the drill body, and the second guiding portion can slide along the first guiding portion.

[0017] In an achievable solution, the load-bearing module includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion. The first connecting portion is fixedly connected to the main body moving block, the second connecting portion is fixedly connected to the drill body, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are floatingly connected in the vertical direction.

[0018] In an achievable solution, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are floatingly connected through an elastic member;

[0019] Alternatively, a first magnetic member is installed on the first connecting portion, a second magnetic member is installed on the second connecting portion, the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member are arranged facing each other, and the same polarities of the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member face each other;

[0020] Alternatively, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are connected by an air bearing table, and the load-bearing module further includes a gas supply device communicated with the air cavity of the air bearing table.

[0021] In an implementable solution, the detection component is fixedly connected to the main body moving block, and the detection component is coupled to the drill main body through a coupling portion to detect the pressure information received by the drill main body.

[0022] In an implementable solution, the coupling portion is fixedly connected to the drill main body and fixedly connected to the detection component;

[0023] Alternatively, the coupling portion is fixedly connected to one of the drill main body and the detection component, and the coupling portion is directly or indirectly abutted against the other of the drill main body and the detection component.

[0024] In an implementable solution, the control module includes a storage unit, a judgment unit, and a control unit;

[0025] The storage unit is configured to receive and store the pressure information fed back by the detection component;

[0026] The judgment unit is configured to determine the change rate dF / dt of the real-time pressure information increment fed back by the detection component, and send a first control signal to the control unit when the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1; wherein, dF is the difference between the current pressure information fed back by the detection component and the mean value of the pressure information fed back in the previous time or the previous several times of feedback, and dt is the sampling time interval of the detection component;

[0027] The control unit is communicatively connected to the moving module, and the control unit is configured to control the drill bit to move downward along the vertical direction at a first speed above the craniotomy point, and control the drill bit to move downward along the vertical direction at a second speed after receiving the first control signal, and the second speed is not greater than the first speed.

[0028] In an implementable solution, the judgment unit is further configured to send a second control signal to the control unit when the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component is not greater than a second set threshold t2; the second set threshold t2 is related to the pressure information fed back by the detection component before the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1;

[0029] The control unit is further configured to, during the operation in response to the first control signal, control the drill bit to further descend a set distance d in the vertical direction according to the received second control signal, and then send a stop signal to the drill bit assembly and the moving module.

[0030] In an implementable solution, the judgment unit includes a first calculation subunit, and the first calculation subunit prestores a calculation formula for determining the second set threshold t2, and the calculation formula is:

[0031] t2 = Fmax - α * (Fmax - Fbase);

[0032] wherein, Fmax is the maximum pressure information fed back by the detection component after the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1, Fbase is the latest pressure information fed back by the detection component before the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1 or the average value of the recent several pressure information, and α is a coefficient set according to at least one of the thickness and hardness of the skull area where the craniotomy point of the surgical object is located, the rotation speed of the drill bit, and the descending speed.

[0033] In an implementable solution, the judgment unit is further configured to send a third control signal to the control unit when the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component is greater than the second set threshold t2;

[0034] The control unit is further configured to, during the operation in response to the second control signal, abort the operation in response to the second control signal according to the received third control signal.

[0035] In an implementable solution, the judgment unit includes a second calculation subunit, and the second calculation subunit is configured to determine the descending distance D of the drill bit in the vertical direction after the control unit responds to the first control signal. The judgment unit is configured to send a fourth control signal to the control unit when the descending distance D does not exceed the set minimum descending distance Dmin;

[0036] The control unit is further configured to, during the operation in response to the second control signal, abort the operation in response to the second control signal according to the received fourth control signal.

[0037] In an implementable solution, the judgment unit is further configured to send a fifth control signal to the control unit when the descending distance D exceeds the set maximum descending distance Dmax;

[0038] The control unit is further configured to send a stop signal to the drill bit assembly and the moving module according to the received fifth control signal.

[0039] When the craniotomy device provided by the embodiment of the present application is actually applied, the drill bit assembly is driven above the craniotomy point of the brain of the surgical object by controlling the movement of the moving module, and the drill bit assembly is driven to move towards the craniotomy point of the brain in the vertical direction by controlling the movement of the moving module to perform the craniotomy operation. During the craniotomy process, the progress of the craniotomy is judged by detecting the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly through the detection component; wherein, at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly is borne by the load-bearing module, which can reduce the force exerted by the drill bit assembly itself on the detection component, and correspondingly increase the proportion of the force exerted by the skull on the drill bit assembly detected by the detection component, thereby improving the detection sensitivity of the detection component, and further improving the judgment accuracy of the craniotomy progress or degree, which helps to improve the success rate of craniotomy.

[0040] In actual applications, the skulls of some experimental animals are relatively soft or thin, such as rats or mice. During craniotomy, the pressure change is often much smaller than the weight of the drill bit assembly itself. After adopting the above-mentioned craniotomy device, due to the setting of the load-bearing module, the detection component can accurately and sensitively detect the pressure change during craniotomy of such experimental animals, and the applicable range of this craniotomy device is relatively wide.

[0041] In addition, by detecting the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly to judge the craniotomy process, the measurement of the pressure information is less affected by the exposure of the brain tissue, and the interference of the physiological saline used for cleaning and cooling the skull surface during the craniotomy process on the pressure detection is also small. Therefore, when using the above-mentioned craniotomy device for craniotomy, physiological saline or the like can be used for cleaning and cooling, which can avoid contamination and damage to the brain tissue during the craniotomy process. Description of the Drawings

[0042] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a craniotomy device in an embodiment provided by the present application;

[0043] Figure 2 It is a structural block diagram of a craniotomy device in an embodiment provided by the present application.

[0044] Description of the Reference Numerals:

[0045] Moving module 10, first moving component 11, first moving track 111, second moving component 12, second moving track 121, third moving component 13, third moving track 131, third moving block 132,

[0046] Drill bit assembly 20, drill main body 21, rotating shaft 22, drill bit 23;

[0047] Detection component 30, coupling part 31;

[0048] Load-bearing module 40, first connecting part 41, second connecting part 42, elastic part 43;

[0049] Control module 50, storage unit 51, judgment unit 52, control unit 53;

[0050] Guiding module 60, first guiding part 61, second guiding part 62. Detailed implementation manners

[0051] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of this application, the following further details this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation manners.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 , which is a structural schematic diagram of a craniotomy device in an embodiment provided by this application.

[0053] The craniotomy device provided in this embodiment is used for animals. In some application scenarios, the craniotomy device can perform a craniotomy on an experimental animal to implant or inject exogenous substances into the animal's brain to achieve the study of the brain function mechanism. Among them, the exogenous substances can be optical fibers, lenses, electrodes, etc., which are specifically related to the research target.

[0054] The craniotomy device includes a moving module 10, a drill bit assembly 20, a detection component 30, a load-bearing module 40, and a control module 50.

[0055] The moving module 10 is used to drive the drill bit assembly 20 to move along the first horizontal direction, the second horizontal direction, and the vertical direction, where the first horizontal direction is perpendicular to the second horizontal direction. It can be understood that the vertical direction is perpendicular to the horizontal plane formed by the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction.

[0056] The drill bit assembly 20 includes a drill body 21, a rotating shaft 22, and a drill bit 23. The rotating shaft 22 is rotatably installed on the drill body 21, the drill bit 23 is installed on the rotating shaft 22, and the rotation center line of the rotating shaft 22 is parallel to the vertical direction. It can be understood that when the rotating shaft 22 rotates, it can drive the drill bit 23 to rotate together to perform a craniotomy operation on the brain of the surgical object, such as opening or cutting the skull.

[0057] The detection component 30 is used to detect the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly 20.

[0058] One end of the load-bearing module 40 is fixedly connected to the drill body 21 of the drill bit assembly 20, and the other end is fixedly connected to the moving module 10. The load-bearing module 40 can float in the vertical direction, that is, the dimension of the load-bearing module 40 in the vertical direction has a variable space to bear at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly 20.

[0059] The control module 50 is communicatively connected to the mobile module 10, the drill bit assembly 20, and the detection component 30. The control module 50 can control the movement of the mobile module 10 in the above three directions to drive the drill bit assembly 20 to move in space, so as to adjust the relative position between the drill bit assembly 20 and the brain of the surgical object, so as to ensure that the drill bit 23 can move to the craniotomy point of the brain. The control module 50 can control the rotation speed of the rotation shaft 22 of the drill bit assembly 20. The control module 50 can also receive and store the pressure information fed back by the detection component 30, so as to control the actions of the mobile module 10 and the rotation shaft 22 of the drill bit assembly 20 according to the feedback of the detection component 30.

[0060] When the above craniotomy device is actually applied, the drill bit assembly 20 is driven to above the craniotomy point of the brain of the surgical object by controlling the action of the mobile module 10, and the drill bit assembly 20 is driven to move in the direction of the craniotomy point of the brain and perform craniotomy by controlling the movement of the mobile module 10 in the vertical direction. During craniotomy, the progress of craniotomy is judged by detecting the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly 20 by the detection component 30; wherein, at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly 20 is borne by the load-bearing module 40, which can reduce the force exerted by the drill bit assembly 20 on itself on the detection component 30. Correspondingly, the proportion of the force exerted by the skull on the drill bit assembly 20 detected by the detection component 30 is increased, so as to improve the detection sensitivity of the detection component 30, and further improve the judgment accuracy of the craniotomy progress or the degree of craniotomy, which helps to improve the success rate of craniotomy.

[0061] In actual applications, the skulls of some experimental animals are relatively soft or thin, such as rats or mice. During craniotomy, the pressure change is often much smaller than the weight of the drill bit assembly 20 itself. After adopting the above craniotomy device, due to the setting of the load-bearing module 40, the detection component 30 can detect the pressure change during craniotomy of such experimental animals more accurately and sensitively, and the applicable range of the craniotomy device is relatively wide.

[0062] In addition, by detecting the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly 20 to judge the craniotomy process, the measurement of the pressure information is less affected by the exposure of the brain tissue, and the interference of the physiological saline used for cleaning and cooling the skull surface during craniotomy on the pressure detection is also small. Therefore, when using the above craniotomy device for craniotomy, physiological saline or the like can be used for cleaning and cooling, which can avoid contaminating and damaging the brain tissue during craniotomy.

[0063] In specific implementation, the driving mode of the rotation shaft 22 of the drill bit assembly 20 can be electric or pneumatic. The rotation speed of the rotation shaft 22 is adjustable within the range of 0 to 100,000 revolutions per minute.

[0064] In a specific implementation, the diameter of the cutting edge portion of the drill bit 23 of the drill bit assembly 20 is 0.1 mm to 2 mm, the length is 0.1 mm to 5 mm, the shape of the cutting edge portion is a flat head, a round head or a ball head, and the cutting edge shape of the cutting edge portion is a single edge or a multi-edge.

[0065] It can be understood that the aforementioned control module 50 is specifically communicatively connected to the driving part of the drill bit assembly 20 to facilitate controlling the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 22.

[0066] In this embodiment, the moving module 10 includes three moving components, and each moving component includes a moving track and a moving block, and the moving block can move along the moving track.

[0067] Among them, the moving block of the first moving component is fixedly connected to the moving track of the second moving component, the moving block of the second moving component is fixedly connected to the moving track of the third moving component, and the moving block of the third moving component is connected to the drill body 21 of the drill bit assembly 20.

[0068] In this way, by the movement of each moving component, the position of the drill bit assembly 20 in the first horizontal direction, the second horizontal direction and the vertical direction can be changed, so that the position of the drill bit assembly 20 in space can be adjusted.

[0069]

[0070] The following takes Figure 1 A specific example shown below to illustrate a setting manner of the three moving components. For convenience of description, the aforementioned three moving components are respectively referred to as the first moving component 11, the second moving component 12 and the third moving component 13. Three directions are defined below, the x-axis direction is the first horizontal direction, the y-axis direction is the second horizontal direction, and the z-axis direction is the vertical direction.

[0071] In the illustrated example, the first moving track 111 of the first moving component 11 extends along the x-axis direction, the second moving track 121 of the second moving component 12 extends along the y-axis direction, and the third moving track 131 of the third moving component 13 extends along the z-axis direction; the second moving block (not shown in the figure) of the second moving component 12 is fixedly connected to the first moving track 111, the first moving block (not shown in the figure) of the first moving component 11 is fixedly connected to the third moving track 131, and the third moving block 132 of the third moving component 13 is connected to the drill bit assembly 20.

[0072] ​In other embodiments, any two of the aforementioned three moving components can be connected and arranged in three combinations: the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, the x-axis direction and the z-axis direction, and the y-axis direction and the z-axis direction. As long as it can drive the drill bit assembly 20 to move in three directions to change the spatial position and can move in the vertical direction to perform the craniotomy operation. The following will all be described with Figure 1 the example shown, and other implementation methods will not be elaborated.

[0073] In some implementation methods, the first moving component 11, the second moving component 12, and the third moving component 13 can select existing mature related devices with linear movement functions. For example, they can be electric displacement components or pneumatic displacement components. Taking the electric displacement component as an example, the moving component can be a ball screw displacement mechanism driven by a stepper motor or a servo motor, or can be a synchronous belt displacement mechanism driven by a stepper motor or a servo motor. In a specific application example, the diameter of the ball screw can be 5 mm to 16 mm, the pitch can be 0.5 mm to 10 mm, and the stroke can be 20 mm to 300 mm.

[0074] In this embodiment, the drill body 21 of the drill bit assembly 20 can be connected to the corresponding moving block through the guiding module 60. Here, the moving block connected to the drill body 21 is defined as the main body moving block. In Figure 1 the example shown, the third moving block 132 of the third moving component 13 is the main body moving block.

[0075] The guiding module 60 includes a first guiding portion 61 and a second guiding portion 62. Among them, the first guiding portion 61 extends in the vertical direction (i.e., the z-axis direction), the first guiding portion 61 is fixedly connected to the third moving block 132, the second guiding portion 62 is fixedly connected to the drill body 21, and the second guiding portion 62 can slide along the first guiding portion 61.

[0076] After the above settings, the drill body 21 is fixedly connected to the third moving block 132 through the guiding module 60. When the third moving block 132 drives the drill bit assembly 20 to move along the third moving track 131, with the cooperation of the second guiding portion 62 and the first guiding portion 61, it can ensure that the moving direction of the drill bit assembly 20 is the vertical direction, reducing the swing of the drill bit 23 in the horizontal direction caused by the unevenness of the skull during the craniotomy, which is beneficial to improving the position accuracy of the craniotomy point.

[0077] In some implementation methods, the first guiding portion 61 can be a structure such as an optical axis, a guide rail, or a slider that can slide on the guide rail, and the second guiding portion 62 can be a slider, an optical axis, or a guide rail that can cooperate with the first guiding portion 61 and can slide on the first guiding portion 61.

[0078] In a specific implementation, the number of the first guiding portions 61 is at least one, and the number of the second guiding portions 62 is also at least one. According to requirements, more than two first guiding portions 61 or more than two second guiding portions 62 can be provided.

[0079] In a specific implementation, the fixed connection manner between the first guiding portion 61 and the third moving block 132, and the fixed connection manner between the second guiding portion 62 and the drill body 21 can be a fixed connection manner using fasteners such as screws, or a welding manner, or an adhesive fixing manner.

[0080] In the illustrated example of the connection between the drill bit assembly 20 and the third moving block 132, the load-bearing module 40 is specifically connected between the drill body 21 and the third moving block 132 to ensure that the setting of the load-bearing module 40 will not cause interference due to the mutual actions between the moving components while bearing at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly 20. That is, one end of the load-bearing module 40 is fixedly connected to the drill body 21, and the other end of the load-bearing module 40 is fixedly connected to the third moving block 132.

[0081] In some implementation manners, the load-bearing module 40 includes a first connecting portion 41 and a second connecting portion 42. The first connecting portion 41 is fixedly connected to the third moving block 132, the second connecting portion 42 is fixedly connected to the drill body 21, and the first connecting portion 41 and the second connecting portion 42 are floatingly connected in the vertical direction, that is, the distance between the first connecting portion 41 and the second connecting portion 42 is variable in the vertical direction.

[0082] In application, the first connecting portion 41 can be directly fixed to the third moving block 132 or indirectly fixed to the third moving block 132, and the second connecting portion 42 can be directly fixed to the drill body 21 or indirectly fixed to the drill body 21, which is specifically set according to the actual structural layout and requirements.

[0083] In Figure 1 In the illustrated example, the first connecting portion 41 is fixedly connected to the first guiding portion 61. It can be understood that since the first guiding portion 61 is fixedly connected to the third moving block 132, after the first connecting portion 41 is fixedly connected to the first guiding portion 61, the relative position between the first connecting portion 41 and the third moving block 132 is also determined.

[0084] The fixed connection manner between the first connecting portion 41 and the first guiding portion 61 can be a fixed connection manner using fasteners such as screws, or a welding fixing manner, or an adhesive fixing manner.

[0085] In Figure 1In the illustrated example, the second connecting portion 42 is fixedly connected to the second guiding portion 62. It can be understood that since the second guiding portion 62 is fixedly connected to the drill body 21, after the second connecting portion 42 is fixedly connected to the second guiding portion 62, the relative position between the second connecting portion 42 and the drill body 21 is also fixed.

[0086] The fixed connection mode between the second connecting portion 42 and the second guiding portion 62 can be the fixed connection mode of fasteners such as screws, or the fixed connection mode of welding, or the fixed connection mode of bonding.

[0087] There can be various ways of the floating connection between the first connecting portion 41 and the second connecting portion 42 in the vertical direction.

[0088] In Figure 1 In the illustrated example, the first connecting portion 41 and the second connecting portion 42 are floatingly connected through an elastic member 43. The elastic member 43 can be a spring wire or a spring sheet, and the spring wire structure can be a pull-type spring or a compression-type spring.

[0089] In an application example, the wire diameter of the spring wire can be selected within the range of 0.5 mm to 1 mm, the outer diameter range of the spring coil can be selected within the range of 5 mm to 10 mm, and when the spring wire is in an unloaded state, its length can be selected within the range of 10 mm to 100 mm. The foregoing numerical ranges are only for illustrative purposes, and relevant parameters can be selected according to needs in actual applications.

[0090] The number of the elastic members 43 provided between the first connecting portion 41 and the second connecting portion 42 is not limited either, as long as the requirements can be met.

[0091] In other implementation examples, the first connecting portion 41 and the second connecting portion 42 can also be floatingly connected through a magnetic attraction structure. Specifically, a first magnetic member can be installed on the first connecting portion 41, and a second magnetic member can be installed on the second connecting portion 42. The first magnetic member and the second magnetic member are arranged facing each other, and the same polarities of the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member face each other, that is, a repulsive magnetic force is formed between the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member. The first magnetic member and the second magnetic member can be selected as magnets or electromagnets.

[0092] In other implementation examples, the first connecting portion 41 and the second connecting portion 42 can also be connected through an air bearing table, and the load-bearing module 40 can also be provided with a gas supply device communicated with the air chamber of the air bearing table. In this way, by adjusting the inflation or deflation of the air chamber of the air bearing table, the floating of the load-bearing module 40 in the vertical direction is realized, so as to realize the load-bearing of at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly 20 by the load-bearing module 40.

[0093] The setting of the above-mentioned load-bearing module 40 can bear at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly 20. At the same time, the load-bearing module 40 has floating properties in the vertical direction, which will not affect the movement of the drill bit assembly 20 in the vertical direction to transfer the pressure applied by the skull to the drill bit assembly 20 to the detection component 30, that is, it will not affect the craniotomy operation of the drill bit assembly 20.

[0094] In this embodiment, in the illustrated example where the drill head assembly 20 is connected to the third movable block 132, the detection component 30 is fixedly connected to the third movable block 132. It is understood that the detection component 30 is connected to the main movable block connected to the drill head assembly 20 to facilitate detection of the pressure applied to the drill head assembly 20.

[0095] The detection component 30 is also coupled to the drill body 21 via the coupling portion 31 to detect pressure information applied to the drill body 21 .

[0096] In one implementation, the coupling portion 31 can be fixedly connected to the detection component 30 and to the drill body 21. In this case, the third moving block 132, the detection component 30, and the drill body 21 are fixed to each other, and the second guide portion 62 fixedly connected to the drill body 21 and the first guide portion 61 fixedly connected to the third moving block 132 are also relatively fixed, but can still guide the vertical movement of the drill body 21.

[0097] In another implementation, the coupling portion 31 is fixedly connected to one of the drill body 21 and the detection component 30, and the coupling portion 31 directly or indirectly abuts the other of the drill body 21 and the detection component 30. The abutment is set based on the detection component 30 being able to detect pressure information applied to the drill body 21.

[0098] The detection component 30 may be a pressure sensor or a weighing sensor, which may be a strain gauge, piezoresistive, capacitive or piezoelectric sensor.

[0099] In one application example, the load cell has a measuring range of 10 g to 1000 g. In another application example, the pressure sensor has a measuring range of 0.01 N to 10 N.

[0100] In this embodiment, the control module 50 can be a single-chip microcomputer or a computer, and can be connected to the driving unit of the movable module 10, the driving unit of the drill head assembly 20, and the detection component 30 via cables or wireless communication. The control module 50 can collect and store pressure information fed back by the detection component 30, and control the movement of each movable component and the rotation of the rotary shaft 22 of the drill head assembly 20.

[0101] In some implementations, the control module 50 may include a storage unit 51 , a determination unit 52 , and a control unit 53 .

[0102] Among them, a brain region coordinate library of different animals can be pre-stored in the storage unit 51, so that when performing a craniotomy operation on different animals, the control module 50 can call the matching brain region coordinate library as needed.

[0103] The storage unit 51 is also used to receive and store the detection signals fed back by the detection component 30 during the craniotomy process, so as to control the craniotomy operation according to the real-time feedback signals, and it is also convenient to conduct research and analysis on the craniotomy operation based on these stored data later.

[0104] The judgment unit 52 can be used to send corresponding control signals to the control unit 53 according to the detection signals fed back by the detection component 30. After receiving the relevant control signals, the control unit 53 can control the operations of the moving module 10 and the drill bit assembly 20.

[0105] The following will illustrate the process of performing a craniotomy on an animal's brain using the craniotomy device in combination with a specific application, which also involves relevant limitations on the control module 50 in the craniotomy device.

[0106] In practical applications, the coordinates of the craniotomy point in the horizontal plane can be input into the control module 50. The input method can be manual input, or it can be automatically matched and input by the program through specifying the target brain region name in the preset brain region coordinate library, or it can also be automatically calculated and input by the program according to the set craniotomy path.

[0107] After determining the coordinates of the craniotomy point, the control unit 53 of the control module 50 can control each moving component of the moving module 10 to drive the drill bit assembly 20 to move to a position where the axial center of the drill bit 23 is aligned with the cranial reference point, or determine the relative position between the drill bit 23 and the cranial reference point.

[0108] In specific implementations, the cranial reference point can be selected as the Bregma point (the anterior fontanelle point, which is the intersection point of the coronal suture and the sagittal suture), the Lambda point (the apex of the lambdoid suture, located at the intersection of the posterior fontanelle lambdoid suture and the sagittal suture), or other positioning points.

[0109] A feasible alignment operation method is as follows: The control unit 53 first adjusts the axial center of the drill bit 23 of the drill bit assembly 20 to be consistent with the coordinates of the cranial reference point in the horizontal plane by controlling the first moving component 11 and the second moving component 12, and then controls the drill bit assembly 20 to descend vertically through the control of the third moving component 13. When the pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 suddenly increases significantly, it is considered that the drill bit 23 just contacts the cranial reference point, and the alignment is achieved.

[0110] A method for determining the relative position relationship between the drill bit 23 and the cranial reference point is as follows: A contact sensor, a laser sensor, or a machine vision sensor can be used to align the drill bit 23 with an external cranial reference point (which can be determined manually), and measure the relative position between the cranial reference point and the external cranial reference point, so as to obtain the relative position between the drill bit 23 and the cranial reference point. In this method, the absolute position coordinates of the drill bit 23 and the cranial reference point can also be measured respectively by a contact sensor, a laser sensor, or a machine vision sensor, so as to obtain the relative position between the drill bit 23 and the cranial reference point. The aforementioned contact sensor, laser sensor, machine vision sensor, etc. also constitute a craniotomy device and can be communicatively connected to the control module 50.

[0111] It should be noted that in the brain region coordinate library, the relative position between the cranial reference point and the craniotomy point is determined, but the relationship between the initial position coordinates of the drill bit 23 and the craniotomy point is not determined. Therefore, generally, the above method is adopted. First, move the drill bit 23 to a position where the axial center of the drill bit 23 is aligned with the cranial reference point, or first determine the relative position between the drill bit 23 and the cranial reference point, and then use the brain region coordinate library to determine the path planning for moving the drill bit 23 to the craniotomy point.

[0112] After using the control module 50 to move the drill bit 23 to the cranial reference point, then move the drill bit 23 to the craniotomy point. Taking Figure 1 the example shown, the control module 50 can calculate the required movement amounts of the first displacement block of the first displacement component 11 and the second displacement block of the second displacement component 12 according to the relative position between the craniotomy point and the cranial reference point and the relative position between the drill bit 23 and the cranial reference point, and control the movement of the first displacement block and the second displacement block, so that the drill bit assembly 20 moves to the position where the craniotomy point is located, and the axial center of the drill bit 23 is aligned with the craniotomy point.

[0113] After aligning the axial center of the drill bit 23 with the craniotomy point, the control unit 53 of the control module 50 can control the drill bit 23 to move downward vertically from above the craniotomy point at a first speed v1. At this time, since the position coordinates of the drill bit 23 in the horizontal plane are determined, the control unit 53 of the control module 50 only needs to control the third displacement block 132 of the third displacement component 13 to move vertically. Exemplarily, the aforementioned first speed v1 is 0.2 to 2 millimeters per second.

[0114] The detection component 30 continuously detects the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly 20 and feeds back the detected pressure information to the storage unit 51 of the control module 50. The sampling speed of the detection component 30 can be set as needed. For example, it can sample 10 to 1000 times per second.

[0115] In a specific implementation, when the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 is relatively stable, the control unit 53 controls the drill bit 23 to move towards the craniotomy point in the vertical direction. The stability of the real-time pressure information can be judged according to the standard deviation of several pieces of real-time pressure information. For example, when the calculated standard deviation is less than the threshold value ts, it is considered that the real-time pressure information is relatively stable. Exemplarily, the threshold value ts can be 0.1% - 5% of the real-time pressure value.

[0116] In one implementation manner, during the process of the control unit 53 controlling the drill bit 23 to move towards the craniotomy point in the vertical direction, the judgment unit 52 of the control module 50 can be used to determine the change rate dF / dt of the increment of the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component 30, and send a first control signal to the control unit 53 when the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold value t1; where dF is the difference between the current pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 and the average value of the pressure information fed back in the previous time or the previous several times of feedback, and dt is the sampling time interval of the detection component 30.

[0117] When the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold value t1, it is considered that the drill bit 23 contacts the skull. After receiving the first control signal sent by the judgment unit 52, the control unit 53 controls the drill bit 23 to move downward in the vertical direction at a second speed v2, where the second speed v2 is not greater than the first speed v1. Exemplarily, the absolute value of the first set threshold value t1 is not less than 0.5 N / s. Exemplarily, the second speed v2 is 0.01 to 2 mm / s.

[0118] After adopting the above scheme, the control unit 53 controls the drill bit 23 to move towards the craniotomy point at the first speed v1. After the drill bit 23 contacts the skull, it then controls the drill bit 23 to move in the vertical direction at the second speed v2, that is, controls the drill bit 23 to perform the craniotomy operation at the second speed v2. In this way, the descending speed of the drill bit 23 is faster before contacting the skull and slower after contacting the skull. On the one hand, it can reduce the descending time of the drill bit 23 before contacting the skull, and on the other hand, it can reduce the damage to the brain tissue caused by the pressure on the skull after the drill bit 23 contacts the skull.

[0119] In one implementation manner, during the process of the control unit 53 controlling the drill bit 23 to perform the craniotomy operation at the second speed v2, the judgment unit 52 is further used to send a second control signal to the control unit 53 when the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 is not greater than the second set threshold value t2; where the second set threshold value t2 is related to the pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 before the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold value t1, that is, the second set threshold value t2 is related to the pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 before the drill bit 23 contacts the skull.

[0120] The control unit 53 is further configured to, during the operation in response to the first control signal, control the drill bit 23 to descend a set distance d in the vertical direction according to the received second control signal, and then send a stop signal to the drill bit assembly 20 and the moving module 10. It can be understood that after the control unit 53 sends the stop signal to the drill bit assembly 20 and the moving module 10, the drill bit assembly 20 and the moving module 10 no longer operate, and this craniotomy operation stops.

[0121] Under normal circumstances, the pressure value received by the drill bit assembly 20 during the craniotomy operation is relatively large. When the real-time pressure information received by the drill bit assembly 20 is not greater than the second set threshold t2, there are two cases. The first case is that the drill bit 23 has completely penetrated the skull, causing the pressure value to decrease. The second case is that the drill bit 23 has not completely penetrated the skull, for example, encountering a sandwich layer with pores inside the skull, causing the pressure value to decrease.

[0122] For the first case, after the drill bit 23 has completely penetrated the skull and then descends the set distance d, it can achieve the effect of damaging the dura mater, reducing the blockage of the dura mater to the implant, and facilitating the subsequent implantation of the implant.

[0123] For the second case, after the real-time pressure information received by the drill bit assembly 20 is not greater than the second set threshold t2, then making the drill bit 23 descend the set distance d can avoid misjudgment caused by the pressure drop when the drill bit 23 has not completely penetrated the skull and prematurely ending this craniotomy.

[0124] In a specific implementation, a first calculation sub-unit can be set in the judgment unit 52. The first calculation sub-unit pre-stores a calculation formula for determining the aforementioned second set threshold t2. The judgment unit 52 can determine the second set threshold t2 according to the pressure information fed back by the detection component 30, and compare the second set threshold t2 with the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 during the craniotomy operation for judgment, so as to send a second control signal to the control unit 53 when the conditions are met.

[0125] The calculation formula for determining the second set threshold t2 is:

[0126] t2 = Fmax - α * (Fmax - Fbase);

[0127] Wherein, Fmax is the maximum pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 after the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1, Fbase is the latest pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 before the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1 or the average value of the recent several pressure information, and α is a coefficient set according to at least one of the thickness and hardness of the skull area where the craniotomy point of the surgical object is located, and the descending speed and rotation speed of the drill bit 23.

[0128] Exemplarily, the value range of α is from 0.3 to 0.99. In applications, α can be obtained through experiments or simulations in combination with one or several of the thickness of the aforementioned skull region, the hardness of the skull region, the descending speed of the drill bit 23, and the rotation speed of the drill bit 23.

[0129] It should be noted that the aforementioned "latest pressure information" can be understood as the last pressure information feedback by the detection component 30 before the drill bit 23 contacts the skull, that is, after the detection component 30 feeds back the latest pressure information, the drill bit 23 has contacted the skull. The aforementioned "last several pressure information" can be understood as the pressure information of the last several times fed back by the detection component 30 before the drill bit 23 contacts the skull.

[0130] After adopting the above solution, using the latest pressure information or the average value of the last several pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 before the drill bit 23 contacts the skull as the baseline, and combining the maximum pressure information after the drill bit 23 contacts the skull to determine the second set threshold t2 can avoid the judgment error caused by the baseline drift and is beneficial to improving the success rate of craniotomy.

[0131] The aforementioned set distance d can be set according to different surgical objects or the thickness of different skull regions. Exemplarily, the value range of d is from 0 to 300 microns.

[0132] In one implementation, the judgment unit 52 is further configured to send a third control signal to the control unit 53 when the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 is greater than the second set threshold t2; the control unit 53 is configured to abort the operation in response to the second control signal according to the received third control signal during the operation in response to the second control signal.

[0133] In other words, during the process of the control unit 53 controlling the drill bit 23 to descend by the set distance d according to the received second control signal, if the real-time pressure information received by the drill bit assembly 20 is greater than the second set threshold t2 again, it indicates that the skull has not been drilled through yet. At this time, the response to the second control signal is aborted, that is, the control of stopping the craniotomy operation after descending by the set distance d is no longer executed; however, during the process of the drill bit 23 continuing to descend for craniotomy, the judgment unit 52 still monitors the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component 30. If the real-time pressure information is not greater than the second set threshold t2 again, a second control signal is still sent to the control unit 53.

[0134] In one implementation, the determination unit 52 further includes a second calculation subunit, and the second calculation subunit is configured to determine the descending distance D of the drill bit 23 in the vertical direction after the control unit 53 responds to the first control signal. The determination unit 52 is configured to send a fourth control signal to the control unit 53 when the descending distance D does not exceed the set minimum descending distance Dmin; the control unit 53 is further configured to abort the operation of responding to the second control signal according to the received fourth control signal during the operation of responding to the second control signal.

[0135] In other words, when performing a craniotomy on a surgical subject, the minimum descending distance Dmin of the drill bit 23 from the craniotomy point can be set according to different surgical subjects. When the determination unit 52 determines the relationship between the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 and the second set threshold t2, or during the process that the control unit 52 controls the drill bit 23 to descend by a set distance d according to the received second control signal, if the descending distance D of the drill bit 23 from the craniotomy point has not exceeded the set minimum descending distance Dmin, it is considered that the craniotomy is not completed. At this time, regardless of the relationship between the real-time pressure information detected by the detection component 30 and the second set threshold t2, this craniotomy operation is not ended.

[0136] The above-mentioned minimum descending distance Dmin is set according to the thickness of different animals or different cranial regions. Exemplarily, the value range of Dmin is from 0 to 2 millimeters.

[0137] In one implementation, the determination unit 52 is further configured to send a fifth control signal to the control unit 53 when the aforementioned descending distance D exceeds the set maximum descending distance Dmax; the control unit 53 is further configured to send a stop signal to the drill bit assembly 20 and the moving module 10 according to the received fifth control signal.

[0138] In other words, when performing a craniotomy on a surgical subject, the maximum descending distance Dmax of the drill bit 23 from the craniotomy point can be set according to different surgical subjects. When the determination unit 52 determines the relationship between the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component 30 and the second set threshold t2, or during the process that the control unit 52 controls the drill bit 23 to descend by a set distance d according to the received second control signal, if the descending distance D of the drill bit 23 from the craniotomy point exceeds the set maximum descending distance Dmax, it is considered that the craniotomy has been completed. Regardless of the relationship between the real-time pressure information detected by the detection component 30 and the second set threshold t2, this craniotomy operation is ended.

[0139] The above-mentioned maximum descending distance Dmax is set according to the thickness of different animals or different cranial regions. Exemplarily, the value range of Dmax is from 0.2 to 2 millimeters.

[0140] In specific applications, the related calculations of the descending distance of the aforementioned drill bit 23 can all be performed by the control module 50.

[0141] In practical applications, the craniotomy operation can be performed on each craniotomy point of the surgical object in the above manner.

[0142] In the above description of this article, unless there are clear regulations and limitations, the terms "installation", "connection", and "coupling" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "coupling" can be a detachable connection or a non-detachable connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Among them, "fixed connection" means that they are connected to each other and the relative positional relationship after connection remains unchanged.

[0143] In this article, specific examples are used to elaborate on the principle and implementation manner of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and its core idea of this application. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art of this technology, without departing from the principle of this application, several improvements and modifications can also be made to this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A craniotomy device for animals, characterized in that, It includes a moving module, a drill bit assembly, a detection component, a load-bearing module, and a control module; The moving module is used to drive the drill bit assembly to move in a first horizontal direction, a second horizontal direction, and a vertical direction, where the first horizontal direction is perpendicular to the second horizontal direction; The drill bit assembly includes a drill body, a rotating shaft, and a drill bit. The rotating shaft is rotatably installed on the drill body, the drill bit is installed on the rotating shaft, and the rotation center line of the rotating shaft is parallel to the vertical direction; The detection component is used to detect the pressure information received by the drill bit assembly; One end of the load-bearing module is fixedly connected to the drill body, and the other end is fixedly connected to the moving module. The load-bearing module can float in the vertical direction to bear at least part of the weight of the drill bit assembly; The control module is communicatively connected to the moving module, the drill bit assembly, and the detection component; The control module includes a storage unit, a judgment unit, and a control unit; The storage unit is used to receive and store the pressure information fed back by the detection component; The judgment unit is used to determine the change rate dF / dt of the real-time pressure information increment fed back by the detection component, and send a first control signal to the control unit when the change rate dF / dt exceeds a first set threshold t1; where dF is the difference between the current pressure information fed back by the detection component and the mean value of the pressure information fed back in the previous time or the previous several times, and dt is the sampling time interval of the detection component; The control unit is communicatively connected to the moving module. The control unit is used to control the drill bit to move downward in the vertical direction at a first speed above the craniotomy point, and control the drill bit to move downward in the vertical direction at a second speed after receiving the first control signal, and the second speed is not greater than the first speed.

2. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 1, wherein The moving module includes three moving components. The moving component includes a moving track and a moving block, and the moving block can move along the moving track; Wherein, the moving block of the first moving component is fixedly connected to the moving track of the second moving component, the moving block of the second moving component is fixedly connected to the moving track of the third moving component, and the moving block of the third moving component is connected to the drill body; The extending directions of the three moving tracks are the first horizontal direction, the second horizontal direction, and the vertical direction respectively.

3. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 2, wherein, Define the moving block connected to the drill body as the main body moving block. The drill body is connected to the main body moving block through a guiding module. The guiding module includes a first guiding part and a second guiding part. The first guiding part extends in the vertical direction, the first guiding part is fixedly connected to the main body moving block, the second guiding part is fixedly connected to the drill body, and the second guiding part can slide along the first guiding part.

4. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 3, characterized in that, The load-bearing module includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part. The first connecting part is fixedly connected to the main body moving block, the second connecting part is fixedly connected to the drill body, and the first connecting part and the second connecting part are floatingly connected in the vertical direction.

5. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first connecting part and the second connecting part are floatingly connected through an elastic member; Alternatively, a first magnetic member is installed on the first connection portion, a second magnetic member is installed on the second connection portion, the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member are arranged facing each other, and the same polarities of the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member face each other; Alternatively, the first connection portion and the second connection portion are connected by an air bearing table, and the load-bearing module further includes a gas supply device communicated with the air cavity of the air bearing table.

6. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 3, characterized in that, The detection component is fixedly connected to the main body moving block, and the detection component is coupled to the drill main body through a coupling portion to detect the pressure information received by the drill main body.

7. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 6, wherein, The coupling portion is fixedly connected to the drill main body and is also fixedly connected to the detection component.

8. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 6, characterized in that, The coupling portion is fixedly connected to one of the drill main body and the detection component, and the coupling portion is in direct or indirect abutment with the other of the drill main body and the detection component.

9. The craniotomy device for animals according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The determination unit is further configured to send a second control signal to the control unit when the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component is not greater than a second set threshold t2; the second set threshold t2 is related to the pressure information fed back by the detection component before the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1; The control unit is further configured to, during the operation of responding to the first control signal, control the drill bit to descend a set distance in the vertical direction according to the received second control signal and then send a stop signal to the drill bit assembly and the moving module.

10. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 9, characterized in that, The determination unit includes a first calculation sub-unit, and the first calculation sub-unit pre-stores a calculation formula for determining the second set threshold t2, and the calculation formula is: t2 = Fmax - α * (Fmax - Fbase); wherein, Fmax is the maximum pressure information fed back by the detection component after the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1, Fbase is the latest pressure information fed back by the detection component before the change rate dF / dt exceeds the first set threshold t1 or the average value of the recent several pressure information, and α is a coefficient set according to at least one of the thickness and hardness of the skull area where the craniotomy point of the surgical object is located, the rotation speed of the drill bit, and the descending speed.

11. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 9, characterized in that, The determination unit is further configured to send a third control signal to the control unit when the real-time pressure information fed back by the detection component is greater than the second set threshold t2; The control unit is further configured to abort the operation of responding to the second control signal according to the received third control signal during the operation of responding to the second control signal.

12. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 9, characterized in that, The determination unit includes a second calculation sub-unit, the second calculation sub-unit is configured to determine the descending distance D of the drill bit in the vertical direction after the control unit responds to the first control signal, and the determination unit is configured to send a fourth control signal to the control unit when the descending distance D does not exceed a set minimum descending distance Dmin; The control unit is further configured to abort the operation of responding to the second control signal according to the received fourth control signal during the operation of responding to the second control signal.

13. The craniotomy device for animals according to claim 12, characterized in that, The determination unit is further configured to send a fifth control signal to the control unit when the descent distance D exceeds a set maximum descent distance Dmax; The control unit is further configured to send a stop signal to the drill bit assembly and the moving module according to the received fifth control signal.

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