A cranial drilling device, a cranial drilling system and a cranial drilling method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of minimally invasive neurosurgical equipment and intelligent control technology, specifically to a skull drilling device, a skull drilling system, and a skull drilling method. The skull drilling device includes a skull drill, which comprises a shell and a hollow drill bit. A drive motor is housed within the shell, and the output shaft of the drive motor is coaxially and fixedly connected to the drill bit. A hollow base is located at the bottom of the shell. The drill bit contains a partition that divides the interior of the drill bit into an airflow layer and a circulation layer. Several flow holes are opened in the partition. The inlet end of the airflow layer is connected to a delivery component, and the outlet end of the circulation layer is connected to a triggering component for triggering base reinforcement by discharging cold air. This invention, through a temperature-triggered cold air cooling and dynamic fixation mechanism for the base spikes, combined with a skull drilling system, achieves intelligent avoidance of high-risk areas during skull drilling, precise control of puncture depth, and improved stability and safety during the procedure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of minimally invasive neurosurgical equipment and intelligent control technology, specifically to a skull drilling device, a skull drilling system, and a skull drilling method. Background Technology

[0002] Craniotomy is an important procedure in minimally invasive neurosurgery, using a drill hole in the skull to remove intracranial lesions, perform biopsies, or implant electrodes. In clinical practice, due to the complexity of the intracranial structure, including high-risk areas such as blood vessels and nerve function zones, single-modality image navigation (such as relying solely on preoperative CT) struggles to match intraoperative tissue deformation in real time, resulting in insufficient positioning accuracy. Therefore, multimodal navigation technology is needed to integrate preoperative CT, intraoperative MRI, and real-time ultrasound images to construct a fused image containing the three-dimensional coordinates of intracranial blood vessels and functional areas, providing more precise spatial positioning for the surgery. Precise depth control is crucial to avoid nerve damage caused by excessive drill penetration. Traditional methods relying on surgeon experience to control depth have significant errors and cannot meet the sub-millimeter precision requirements of modern minimally invasive surgery. Intelligent craniotomy systems based on multimodal navigation and their precise depth control methods can intelligently avoid high-risk areas through image fusion and precisely adjust the puncture depth through closed-loop feedback control, significantly improving the safety and effectiveness of the surgery and providing a standardized and intelligent operational paradigm for clinical neurosurgery.

[0003] Existing craniotomy equipment has many limitations in practical applications. For example, traditional craniotomy equipment, such as the Aesculap GD656 craniotomy power system, mainly relies on preoperative CT for positioning and lacks multimodal image fusion capabilities combining intraoperative MRI and real-time ultrasound. This makes it impossible to dynamically update intracranial structural changes, resulting in difficulty in accurately avoiding high-risk areas such as venous sinuses or functional brain regions. Regarding fixation methods, most rely on manual clamping of the base, which is prone to displacement due to slight patient movement or drill vibration during surgery, leading to errors in the drilling trajectory. As for cooling systems, existing equipment mostly relies on saline flushing for cooling. When the friction temperature between the drill and the skull exceeds 40°C, active cold air circulation cooling cannot be achieved, leading to thermal damage to brain tissue. To ensure a lower incidence of postoperative complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage or infection, a multimodal navigation-based intelligent craniotomy system and its precise depth control method are proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a skull drilling device, a skull drilling system, and a skull drilling method. Through a temperature-triggered cooling mechanism and a dynamic fixation mechanism for the base spikes, combined with the skull drilling system, it achieves intelligent avoidance of high-risk areas, precise control of puncture depth, and improved stability and safety during the surgery.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a skull drilling device is provided, comprising a skull drill, the skull drill being signal-connected to a skull drilling system, the skull drill including a housing and a hollow drill bit, the drill bit further having a temperature sensor embedded inside which is signal-connected to the skull drilling system, and the bottom of the housing having a hollow base.

[0006] The drill bit has a longitudinally circumferential partition that divides the interior of the drill bit into an airflow layer and a circulation layer from the inside out. The partition has several flow holes. The inlet end of the airflow layer is connected to a delivery component for inputting cold air into the airflow layer, and the outlet end of the circulation layer is connected to a triggering component for triggering the base reinforcement by discharging cold air. The triggering component includes a piston plate that is slidably connected to the inner side wall of the base. The bottom of the piston plate has a fixing component for fixing the skull drill to the patient's head.

[0007] The technical principles of the above solution are as follows:

[0008] First, at the start of the drilling procedure, the skull drill bit contacts the skull, and the drilling system is activated and monitors the drilling process. Temperature sensors inside the drill bit monitor the temperature of the drilling area in real time and feed the data back to the drilling system. If the drilling system detects an abnormal temperature rise, to prevent thermal damage, the delivery component introduces cold air into the airflow layer inside the drill bit. The cold air flows longitudinally along the airflow layer, cooling the drill bit as a whole. The cold air then enters the outer circulation layer through flow holes in the partition, where it continues to absorb the heat transferred from the drill bit, forming a cooling cycle. The heated cold air exits from the outlet of the circulation layer and enters the trigger component; the pressure of the exiting airflow pushes the piston plate to slide downwards on the inner wall of the base. The downward movement of the piston plate further actuates the fixing component at its bottom, thus firmly fixing the skull drill base to the patient's head and preventing displacement during drilling.

[0009] The above approach has the following beneficial effects:

[0010] 1. This solution utilizes a temperature sensor embedded in the drill bit to provide real-time feedback on the drilling area temperature. The craniotomy system can identify temperature anomalies and trigger the cooling delivery components. Cool air flows longitudinally through the airflow layer and undergoes secondary heat absorption in the circulation layer, forming a complete cooling cycle. Combined with the flow holes in the partition layer, this ensures uniform cooling air coverage of the drill bit, carrying away the heat generated during drilling. This prevents the drill bit from overheating and burning the patient's skull and intracranial soft tissues during drilling, reducing surgical trauma risks and ensuring the safety of the patient's intracranial tissues. The longitudinally circling partition within the drill bit divides the interior into independent airflow and circulation layers. Cool air fully covers the inner wall of the drill bit along the airflow layer and then evenly penetrates into the circulation layer through the flow holes for continuous heat absorption, preventing overheating caused by insufficient localized cooling of the drill bit. The cooling effect is stable and controllable. Simultaneously, the craniotomy system dynamically adjusts the cooling air delivery volume based on temperature sensor feedback, adapting to cooling needs under different skull thicknesses, drilling speeds, and other conditions, making it more widely applicable and practical.

[0011] 2. In this design, when the cooled air is discharged after the cooling cycle, the piston plate can be driven to move down by the airflow pressure, which in turn drives the fixing components to move. This can achieve a stable fixation between the skull drill base and the patient's head without the need for an additional power source. It effectively prevents the skull drill from shifting due to vibration or contact during drilling, avoids problems such as drilling position deviation and irregular hole diameter, improves the accuracy of skull drilling, meets the stringent requirements for operational precision in intracranial surgery, and reduces the risk of surgical errors.

[0012] 3. This solution achieves both cooling and fixation triggering simultaneously through cold air circulation, eliminating the need for a separate fixation drive mechanism. This simplifies the overall structure, reduces the size of the device, avoids occupying the limited operating space in intracranial surgery, and facilitates flexible operation by medical staff. Furthermore, the cooling, fixation, and drilling processes are synchronized, and the drilling system adjusts the cold air delivery volume in real time to adapt to different drilling holes. Medical staff do not need to manually operate the fixation or adjust the cooling parameters, shortening the time spent on surgical assistance, improving surgical efficiency, and reducing the workload of medical staff.

[0013] Furthermore, the piston plate divides the interior of the base into a first air chamber and a second air chamber from top to bottom. The outlet end of the circulation layer has several exhaust holes, all of which are connected to the first air chamber. The fixing component extends to the outside of the base and is slidably connected to the bottom wall of the base.

[0014] Beneficial effects: The piston plate divides the interior of the base into an independent first air chamber and a second air chamber, and the exhaust holes of the circulation layer are all connected to the first air chamber. On the one hand, the cold air discharged from the circulation layer can be quickly gathered in the first air chamber to form a concentrated and stable airflow pressure, ensuring that the piston plate is subjected to uniform force and avoiding sliding jamming or unbalanced movement of the fixing components due to pressure dispersion. On the other hand, the separation between the first air chamber and the second air chamber can form a pressure buffer to prevent sudden changes in airflow pressure from impacting the fixing components and ensure that the fixing process is stable and controllable.

[0015] Furthermore, the fixing assembly includes an airbag fixedly connected to the bottom of the piston plate, and the airbag is provided with several spikes.

[0016] Beneficial effects: The airbag has good flexibility and conformity, which can adapt to the contour shape of different patients' heads and achieve a close fit with the scalp. At the same time, the elasticity of the airbag can buffer the fixation pressure and avoid scalp damage caused by local pressure. Several spikes on the airbag can slightly embed into the scalp surface when the airbag is in contact with the scalp, which significantly enhances the friction between the fixation components and the scalp, effectively preventing displacement caused by the rotation and vibration of the drill bit during drilling and improving fixation stability.

[0017] Furthermore, the delivery assembly includes an air pump and a delivery pipe that are interconnected. The air pump is connected to the inlet end of the airflow layer through the delivery pipe, and an air valve is provided on the delivery pipe. Both the air pump and the air valve are connected to the skull drilling system via signal.

[0018] Beneficial effects: A stable supply of cold air is provided by an air pump, and the delivery pipe enables precise delivery of cold air to the airflow layer. The structure is simple and the air supply efficiency is high. The air valve on the delivery pipe is linked with the craniotomy system and the air pump for control. The craniotomy system can adjust the opening and closing degree of the air valve and the output power of the air pump in real time based on the temperature data fed back by the temperature sensor, so as to achieve precise control of the cold air delivery. When the temperature is too high, the cold air supply is increased for rapid cooling; when the temperature is normal, the supply is reduced to avoid waste of cold air and stimulation of tissues caused by excessive cooling. At the same time, the signal connection design of the air pump and air valve makes the entire cooling process without manual intervention, realizing intelligent temperature control and reducing the difficulty of surgical operation.

[0019] Furthermore, the tip of the drill bit is equipped with an optical ranging sensor that is connected to the drill bit system for signal transmission.

[0020] Beneficial effects: The optical ranging sensor at the drill tip is connected to the craniotomy system, enabling real-time monitoring of the drilling depth and the distance from the drill tip to intracranial tissue. This data is then accurately fed back to the craniotomy system, allowing for visualized and quantitative control of the drilling depth. The craniotomy system can preset a safe drilling depth threshold. When the drill reaches the preset depth, the drive motor automatically stops or decelerates, effectively preventing intracranial tissue damage caused by excessive drilling and overcoming the drawbacks of traditional drilling methods that rely on the doctor's experience to judge depth. Furthermore, the non-contact measurement characteristics of the optical ranging sensor do not interfere with the drilling process, and its high measurement accuracy allows it to adapt to different skull thicknesses, further improving the precision and safety of drilling surgery and reducing surgical risks.

[0021] Furthermore, the drill bit is also surrounded by several conductive probes near its tip.

[0022] Beneficial effects: Several conductive probes arranged around the tip of the drill bit can utilize the conductivity differences of different tissues, such as the skull, scalp, and intracranial blood vessels / nerve tissues, to detect the tissue type in the drilling area in real time and feed the conductive signal back to the drilling system. When the probes contact the skull, the drilling system can confirm the accurate drilling position and continue the surgery. If the probes detect tissue with abnormal conductivity, the drilling system will immediately issue a warning signal and control the drill bit to stop, avoiding accidental drilling and damage to important tissues. At the same time, the ring-shaped probes can achieve 360° all-round tissue detection, covering all contact surfaces of the drill bit's rotation area, ensuring no blind spots in the detection.

[0023] Furthermore, a drive motor is installed inside the housing, and the output shaft of the drive motor is coaxially and fixedly connected to the drill bit.

[0024] Beneficial effects: The drive motor inside the housing is coaxially fixedly connected to the drill bit, which can maximize the coaxiality of the drill bit during rotation, reduce the eccentric vibration of the drill bit caused by transmission deviation, significantly improve the straightness and diameter accuracy of the drill hole, and avoid drill hole tilting or irregular diameter; the built-in design of the drive motor makes the device structure more compact, reduces the space occupied by the external transmission mechanism, and facilitates surgical operation and storage.

[0025] Furthermore, the side of the partition located inside the airflow layer has a clockwise downward threaded structure, while the side of the partition located outside the airflow layer has a counterclockwise upward threaded structure.

[0026] Beneficial effects: The partition layer located inside the airflow layer adopts a clockwise downward threaded structure, which guides the cold air in the airflow layer to flow downward along the threaded trajectory, extending the contact path and contact time between the cold air and the inner wall of the drill bit, making the heat exchange between the cold air and the drill bit more complete, improving the uniformity of cooling, and avoiding excessively high temperatures caused by insufficient local cooling; The partition layer located outside the circulation layer adopts a counterclockwise upward threaded structure, which guides the heated cold air that has completed heat exchange in the circulation layer to flow upward along the threaded trajectory, accelerating the cold air discharge speed and improving the airflow circulation efficiency. At the same time, the centrifugal force generated by the spiral airflow can make the cold air more evenly distributed in the circulation layer, avoiding airflow dead zones; The bidirectional threaded structure works together to enhance the cooling effect and improve the stability of airflow circulation, ensuring that the supply and discharge of cold air form an efficient closed loop, further optimizing the temperature control accuracy and the pressure stability of the fixation components, providing dual support for surgical safety and precision.

[0027] Furthermore, a skull drilling system, applicable to the skull drilling device, includes a multimodal image fusion module, a danger zone identification module, a precise depth control module, an execution module, and an early warning module; wherein:

[0028] The multimodal image fusion module is used to simultaneously acquire preoperative CT, intraoperative MRI and real-time ultrasound image data. It uses a dynamic spatial registration algorithm based on anatomical landmarks and a grayscale fusion algorithm to process the data, generate fused image data containing the three-dimensional coordinates of intracranial blood vessels and functional areas, and transmit the fused image data to the danger area identification module.

[0029] The danger zone identification module is used to receive fused image data, use deep learning algorithms to extract feature vectors of high-risk area images of venous sinuses and brain functional areas, mark the three-dimensional coordinate range of high-risk areas, generate high-risk area identification results and graded early warning trigger signals, and transmit the high-risk area identification results to the precision depth control module and the graded early warning trigger signals to the early warning module.

[0030] The precision depth control module is connected to the cranial drill. The precision depth control module is used to receive the high-risk area identification results, real-time depth data transmitted by the optical ranging sensor, and conductivity data transmitted by the conductive probe. It uses a closed-loop feedback control algorithm to calculate the depth deviation between the cranial drill and the target point and the safe distance between the cranial drill and the high-risk area. Based on the CT data obtained before the operation and the drilling resistance, it dynamically generates the depth adjustment parameters of the cranial drill and transmits the depth adjustment parameters to the execution module.

[0031] The execution module receives depth adjustment parameters and drives the cranial drill's feed mechanism based on these parameters, controlling the drill's puncture depth and trajectory. Simultaneously, it collects real-time data on the drill's position, drilling speed, drilling resistance, and temperature. When the temperature generated by the drill bit's friction with the skull during drilling reaches ≥40℃, the execution module controls an air pump to deliver cold air and cool the drill bit's outer wall. Furthermore, the execution module feeds back the drill bit's real-time position, drilling speed, and drilling resistance data to the precision depth control module in real time.

[0032] The early warning module is used to receive graded early warning trigger signals and issue early warning prompts using a combination of sound and light according to the signal level. When the distance between the skull drill and the high-risk area is less than the preset safety threshold of 3mm, an automatic stop signal is generated and transmitted to the execution module.

[0033] Beneficial effects: The multimodal image fusion module integrates preoperative CT, intraoperative MRI and real-time ultrasound data simultaneously, and uses anatomical landmark registration and grayscale fusion algorithms to transform different modal images into fused images containing the three-dimensional coordinates of intracranial blood vessels and functional areas. This solves the problem of insufficient localization accuracy of single image modal and provides a three-dimensional and visualized anatomical basis for subsequent path planning, enabling surgeons to grasp the spatial relationship between lesions and high-risk areas in advance.

[0034] The danger zone identification module uses a convolutional neural network model to extract high-density features of venous sinuses and metabolic features of brain functional areas. Combined with conductivity mutation detection of the subdural space location, it achieves automated labeling and dynamic collision detection of high-risk areas. When the 3D bounding box matching degree exceeds 85%, the warning signal is enhanced. This dual identification mechanism defines the boundary of danger zones more accurately than traditional manual annotation, reducing the risk of accidental touch during surgery.

[0035] The precision depth control module employs a multi-sensor fusion strategy, automatically switching to the conductivity cortical recognition mode when optical signals fail, and dynamically generating depth adjustment parameters using a closed-loop feedback algorithm. This redundant design not only solves the blind zone problem of traditional single ranging methods, but also adaptively adjusts the drilling speed according to skull hardness, achieving sub-millimeter-level control of puncture depth, making it particularly suitable for precise adaptation to differences in individual skull structures.

[0036] The execution module can not only precisely control the cranial drill feed trajectory based on depth adjustment parameters, but also collect data such as drilling resistance and temperature in real time to form a feedback closed loop. When the temperature is ≥40℃, it activates the air pump to cool down and triggers the base reinforcement. This mechatronics design integrates cooling, fixing and drilling actions into a single control, avoiding the delay problem of multi-device collaborative operation and improving the system response speed.

[0037] The early warning module constructs the final safety barrier during surgery through graded audio-visual prompts and an automatic braking mechanism with a 3mm safety threshold. This module works in real time with the danger zone identification module, gradually increasing the warning according to the risk level when the skull drill approaches a high-risk area, until drilling is forcibly stopped. This intelligent intervention mechanism effectively compensates for the limitations of surgeon's reliance on experience, and significantly reduces the probability of nerve damage, especially in complex brain region surgeries.

[0038] The modules form a closed-loop workflow through data exchange, achieving three major breakthroughs compared to traditional craniotomy: first, multimodal imaging data is transformed into real-time navigation information; second, high-risk areas are actively avoided through deep learning and electrophysiological monitoring; and third, the drilling process is dynamically optimized using closed-loop feedback, providing a standardized and intelligent operating paradigm for minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures.

[0039] Furthermore, a method for drilling a skull, based on the skull drilling device and skull drilling system, includes the following steps:

[0040] Step 1, Multimodal Image Fusion: Multimodal image data is acquired and fused through the multimodal image fusion module to obtain a fused image containing the spatial relationship of intracranial structures; before drilling, a pre-scan of the cortex is performed using a conductive probe to obtain baseline data of electrical conductivity at the puncture point, which is matched with the cortical thickness data of the fused image to generate a personalized cortical depth mapping table.

[0041] Step 2, Hazardous Area Identification and Path Planning: The hazardous area identification module marks high-risk areas, and based on the fused imagery and high-risk area information, the precision depth control module generates the optimal drilling path to avoid high-risk areas;

[0042] Step 3, Real-time Precise Depth Control: The execution module drives the cranial drill along the optimal path. The precise depth control module combines the real-time depth data, conductivity data, and high-risk area location of the cranial drill to dynamically adjust the depth of the cranial drill. When the optical ranging sensor signal is lost or abnormal, it switches to the conductivity monitoring mode based on conductive probes. The current brain tissue level is identified by the change in conductivity to assist in depth judgment. At the same time, the drilling speed is adaptively adjusted according to the hardness of the skull.

[0043] Step 4, Early Warning and Emergency Response: The early warning module issues an early warning based on the distance to the high-risk area. When the skull drill approaches the high-risk area to a preset threshold, the skull drill is automatically stopped. When the temperature generated by the friction between the drill bit and the skull during the drilling process reaches ≥40℃, the air pump is controlled to deliver cold air to cool the drill bit. The cold air is then discharged into the base through the circulation layer, which pushes the piston plate downward, allowing the spike to penetrate the patient's scalp and further fix the skull drill and base.

[0044] Beneficial effects: By simultaneously integrating preoperative CT, intraoperative MRI, and real-time ultrasound images, a three-dimensional fused image containing the spatial relationship between intracranial blood vessels and functional areas is generated, solving the problem of ambiguous localization in single-image modalities. Combined with a personalized cortical depth mapping table generated by pre-scanning with conductive probes, the cortical thickness data at the puncture point is matched with the image data, making the preoperative planning more closely aligned with the individual patient's anatomy, avoiding depth errors caused by standardized group approaches, and laying the foundation for precise puncture.

[0045] Based on the automatic marking of high-risk areas such as venous sinuses and brain functional areas using fused images, a safe and efficient path planning system is achieved by generating 3-5 candidate paths and selecting the optimal path using a weighted scoring method. A dual verification mechanism of optical ranging and conductivity mutation is mutually calibrated during dura mater localization. When optical signals are obstructed by tissue, a sudden increase in conductivity exceeding a threshold can help determine if the dura mater has been reached, avoiding the risk of cerebrospinal fluid leakage caused by blind drilling and improving the reliability of path planning.

[0046] This method upgrades the traditional blind drilling mode, which relies on the surgeon's experience, to a data-driven intelligent operation through visual planning of multimodal navigation, precise execution of multi-sensor fusion, and safety protection of intelligent early warning. It significantly reduces the risk of accidental contact with high-risk areas, tissue thermal damage, and postoperative complications, and provides a standardized and precise solution for minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 This is an isometric schematic diagram of an embodiment of the skull drilling device of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 This is a front sectional view of an embodiment of the skull drilling device of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of part A of an embodiment of the skull drilling device of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the system framework of an embodiment of the skull drilling system of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the method steps of the skull drilling method of the present invention.

[0052] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings include: 1. outer casing; 2. base; 3. drill bit; 4. drive motor; 5. air pump; 6. first air chamber; 7. piston plate; 8. spike; 9. second air chamber; 10. exhaust port; 11. circulation layer; 12. airflow layer; 13. flow hole. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0055] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0056] The following detailed description illustrates the specific implementation method:

[0057] Example 1:

[0058] In traditional craniotomy, the heat generated by friction between the drill bit and the skull often causes a rapid increase in drill bit temperature. When the temperature reaches ≥40℃, it not only causes thermal damage to the tissues surrounding the skull, increasing the risk of postoperative infection, but may also lead to complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Furthermore, existing craniotomy drills are prone to positional displacement due to vibration during drilling, and traditional fixation methods lack stability, affecting surgical precision. In addition, precise localization of deep tissues during surgery relies on a single imaging modality, making it difficult to avoid high-risk areas such as venous sinuses and functional brain regions in real time. Depth control also largely depends on the surgeon's experience, posing a risk of blind drilling and resulting in significant errors in target localization.

[0059] Based on the above problems, the inventors proposed an innovative solution integrating temperature monitoring, intelligent cooling, and dynamic fixation, as detailed in the attached document. Figure 1 As shown: A skull drilling device includes a skull drill, which is signal-connected to a skull drilling system. The skull drill includes a housing 1 and a hollow drill bit 3. The tip of the drill bit 3 is provided with an optical ranging sensor that is signal-connected to the skull drilling system. Several conductive probes are also arranged around the tip of the drill bit 3. A temperature sensor that is signal-connected to the skull drilling system is also embedded inside the drill bit 3.

[0060] As attached Figure 2 As shown, a drive motor 4 is provided inside the outer casing 1. The output shaft of the drive motor 4 is coaxially and fixedly connected to the drill bit 3. A hollow base 2 is provided at the bottom of the outer casing 1.

[0061] The drill bit 3 has a longitudinally circumferential partition that divides the interior of the drill bit 3 into an airflow layer 12 and a circulation layer 11 from the inside out. The side of the partition inside the airflow layer 12 has a clockwise downward thread structure, and the side of the partition outside the airflow layer 12 has a counterclockwise upward thread structure.

[0062] As attached Figure 3 As shown, the partition has several flow holes 13. The inlet end of the airflow layer 12 is connected to a conveying component for inputting cold air into the airflow layer 12. The conveying component includes an air pump 5 and a conveying pipe that are connected to each other. The air pump 5 is connected to the inlet end of the airflow layer 12 through the conveying pipe. An air valve is provided on the conveying pipe. Both the air pump 5 and the air valve are connected to the skull drilling system.

[0063] The outlet end of the circulation layer 11 is connected to a triggering component for triggering the reinforcement of the base 2 by venting cold air; the triggering component includes a piston plate 7 slidably connected to the inner wall of the base 2, and a fixing component for fixing the cranial drill to the patient's head is provided at the bottom of the piston plate 7. The piston plate 7 divides the interior of the base 2 into a first air chamber 6 and a second air chamber 9 from top to bottom. The outlet end of the circulation layer 11 has several exhaust holes 10, all of which are connected to the first air chamber 6; the fixing component extends to the outside of the base 2 and is slidably connected to the bottom wall of the base 2. The fixing component includes an air bladder fixedly connected to the bottom of the piston plate 7, and the air bladder is provided with several spikes 8.

[0064] During operation, cold air flows in through the airflow layer 12, exchanges heat with the drill bit 3, increases in temperature and expands in volume, and enters the circulation layer 11 through the flow hole 13. The threaded structure enhances the vortex effect of the cold air inside the drill bit 3, improving cooling efficiency. Specifically, the clockwise thread structure generates a downward auxiliary thrust on the airflow when guiding the flow of cold air. After entering the circulation layer 11 through the flow hole 13, the cold air forms a stable air pressure drive when it is discharged into the first air chamber 6 through the exhaust hole 10. The counterclockwise thread forms an upward airflow resistance in the circulation layer 11, making the air pressure act more concentrated on the piston plate 7, pushing the spike 8 into the scalp with uniform and continuous force. At the same time, the air in the second air chamber 9 is discharged through a one-way exhaust valve or micro-pore channel, eliminating reverse resistance and ensuring that the piston plate 7 moves smoothly down to the preset position, allowing the spike 8 to penetrate the scalp to a controllable depth, thus achieving reliable fixation of the skull drill.

[0065] A skull drilling system, suitable for the skull drilling device, such as Figure 4 As shown, it includes a multimodal image fusion module, a hazardous area identification module, a precise depth control module, an execution module, and an early warning module; among which:

[0066] The multimodal image fusion module is used to simultaneously acquire preoperative CT, intraoperative MRI and real-time ultrasound image data. It uses a dynamic spatial registration algorithm based on anatomical landmarks and a grayscale fusion algorithm to process the data, generate fused image data containing the three-dimensional coordinates of intracranial blood vessels and functional areas, and transmit the fused image data to the danger area identification module.

[0067] The danger zone identification module is used to receive fused image data, use deep learning algorithms to extract feature vectors of high-risk area images of venous sinuses and brain functional areas, mark the three-dimensional coordinate range of high-risk areas, generate high-risk area identification results and graded early warning trigger signals, and transmit the high-risk area identification results to the precision depth control module and the graded early warning trigger signals to the early warning module.

[0068] The precision depth control module is connected to the cranial drill. The precision depth control module is used to receive the high-risk area identification results, real-time depth data transmitted by the optical ranging sensor, and conductivity data transmitted by the conductive probe. It uses a closed-loop feedback control algorithm to calculate the depth deviation between the cranial drill and the target point and the safe distance between the cranial drill and the high-risk area. Based on the CT data obtained before the operation and the drilling resistance, it dynamically generates the depth adjustment parameters of the cranial drill and transmits the depth adjustment parameters to the execution module.

[0069] The execution module receives depth adjustment parameters and drives the cranial drill's feed mechanism based on these parameters, controlling the drill's puncture depth and trajectory. Simultaneously, it collects real-time data on the drill's position, drilling speed, drilling resistance, and temperature. When the temperature generated by the drill bit's friction with the skull during drilling reaches ≥40℃, the execution module controls an air pump to deliver cold air and cool the drill bit's outer wall. Furthermore, the execution module feeds back the drill bit's real-time position, drilling speed, and drilling resistance data to the precision depth control module in real time.

[0070] The early warning module is used to receive graded early warning trigger signals and issue early warning prompts using a combination of sound and light according to the signal level. When the distance between the skull drill and the high-risk area is less than the preset safety threshold of 3mm, an automatic stop signal is generated and transmitted to the execution module.

[0071] The specific implementation process is as follows: When the cranial drill is started, the drive motor 4 drives the hollow drill bit 3 to rotate. The optical ranging sensor at the tip transmits depth data to the precision depth control module in real time, and the surrounding conductive probes synchronously collect cortical conductivity. The multimodal image fusion module fuses preoperative CT with intraoperative MRI and ultrasound data to generate a three-dimensional image containing the coordinates of intracranial blood vessels and functional areas. The danger area identification module marks high-risk areas such as venous sinuses based on this image and transmits it to the precision depth control module.

[0072] During drilling, if the temperature sensor detects a temperature ≥40℃ due to friction between the drill bit 3 and the skull, the execution module immediately controls the air pump 5 to start. Cold air enters the airflow layer 12 through the delivery pipe. Due to the clockwise threaded structure on the inner side of the partition, the cold air flows along a spiral path, enhancing the cooling efficiency. The cold air enters the circulation layer 11 through the flow hole 13, and then exits into the first air chamber 6 of the base 2 through the exhaust hole 10, pushing the piston plate 7 down and causing the spikes 8 on the airbag to pierce the scalp, thus achieving a stable fixation of the skull drill. In this process, the cold air discharged from the circulation layer 11 not only cools the skull but also achieves dynamic fixation through air pressure transmission, avoiding mechanical damage to the scalp caused by traditional clamping methods. At the same time, it reduces the trajectory deviation caused by the vibration of the drill bit 3, ensuring that the depth control error is ≤0.5mm.

[0073] When drill bit 3 approaches the preset dura mater depth, if the optical ranging signal is obstructed by tissue, the conductivity calculation unit automatically initiates verification: if the conductivity suddenly rises above the threshold, it is determined that the dura mater has been reached, and the execution module controls the drilling speed to decrease by 30%; if the conductivity does not change significantly and the optical anomaly persists for more than 2 seconds, backup path planning is triggered to ensure the safety of the drilling path. This dual verification mechanism reduces the risk of dura mater penetration by more than 70% compared to traditional single optical positioning.

[0074] In terms of path planning, the precise depth control module generates 3-5 candidate paths based on fused images, and scores them with a weighted average of 40% for path length and 60% for distance from high-risk areas, selecting the optimal path. For example, if a path is long but its distance from the venous sinus exceeds the safe threshold, its score is higher than that of a shorter path, thus avoiding accidental entry into high-risk areas in pursuit of efficiency. Compared with traditional experience-based path planning, the false contact rate in high-risk areas is reduced by 85%.

[0075] During real-time depth control, the depth monitoring unit integrates data such as optical depth, electrical conductivity, and drilling resistance to provide feedback to the adjustment unit regarding the deviation from the target point. When the deviation exceeds 5mm or there is a sudden change in electrical conductivity, a rapid adjustment mode is activated to generate feed rate and direction parameters. If the drilling resistance reaches 6N, it is identified as a high-hardness bone surface, and the drilling speed is reduced by 25% while the feed pressure is increased to ensure drilling efficiency and accuracy. This adaptive control improves drilling efficiency by 30% under different skull hardness conditions and avoids drill bit jamming or tissue tearing caused by sudden changes in resistance.

[0076] After receiving tiered warning signals, the early warning module issues an audible and visual warning when the drill bit is 5mm away from a high-risk area and automatically stops drilling when it is 3mm away. For example, in DBS surgery for Parkinson's disease, when the drill bit 3 approaches the motor function area to a safe threshold, the system immediately brakes to avoid nerve damage, reducing the probability of nerve damage by 90% compared to traditional manual control. Simultaneously, the linkage mechanism between temperature control and base 2 fixation reduces the incidence of postoperative complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage and infection by 60% and shortens the patient's recovery period by 30%.

[0077] Example 2:

[0078] The difference from Example 1 is that a method for drilling a skull, based on the skull drilling apparatus described in Example 1, includes the following steps:

[0079] Step 1, Multimodal Image Fusion: Multimodal image data is acquired and fused through the multimodal image fusion module to obtain a fused image containing the spatial relationship of intracranial structures; before drilling, a pre-scan of the cortex is performed using a conductive probe to obtain baseline data of electrical conductivity at the puncture point, which is matched with the cortical thickness data of the fused image to generate a personalized cortical depth mapping table.

[0080] Step 2, Hazardous Area Identification and Path Planning: The hazardous area identification module marks high-risk areas, and based on the fused imagery and high-risk area information, the precision depth control module generates the optimal drilling path to avoid high-risk areas;

[0081] Step 3, Real-time Precise Depth Control: The execution module drives the cranial drill along the optimal path. The precise depth control module combines the real-time depth data, conductivity data, and high-risk area location of the cranial drill to dynamically adjust the depth of the cranial drill. When the optical ranging sensor signal is lost or abnormal, it switches to the conductivity monitoring mode based on conductive probes. The current brain tissue level is identified by the change in conductivity to assist in depth judgment. At the same time, the drilling speed is adaptively adjusted according to the hardness of the skull.

[0082] Step 4, Early Warning and Emergency Handling: The early warning module issues an early warning based on the distance to the high-risk area. When the skull drill approaches the high-risk area to a preset threshold, the skull drill is automatically stopped. When the temperature generated by the friction between the drill bit 3 and the skull during the drilling process is ≥40℃, the air pump 5 is controlled to deliver cold air to cool the drill bit 3. The cold air is then discharged into the base 2 through the circulation layer 11, which pushes the piston plate 7 downward, thereby allowing the spike 8 to penetrate the patient's scalp and further fix the skull drill and the base 2.

[0083] To verify the advantages of this scheme in temperature-triggered cooling, dynamic fixation of base spikes, multimodal image fusion, and precise depth control module, the following experiment was conducted to compare this scheme with traditional cranial drilling equipment (without intelligent navigation, temperature control, and dynamic fixation functions). This scheme was divided into experimental groups, while the traditional cranial drilling equipment was assigned to the control group.

[0084] I. Experimental Design

[0085] (I) Experimental Grouping

[0086] Biological model: 12 adult pigs (weighing 25-30kg) were randomly divided into 2 groups (6 pigs in each group), and the skull drills of the experimental group and the control group were used to simulate the drilling scenario in clinical neurosurgery.

[0087] Simulation environment: 10 skull specimens, with a pre-set 3D model of intracranial blood vessels and high-risk areas of functional regions.

[0088] (ii) Detection target data

[0089] Temperature control: real-time temperature of the drill bit rubbing against the skull (threshold 40℃), and the range of thermal damage to brain tissue.

[0090] Drilling accuracy: depth deviation (distance from the target point), trajectory offset.

[0091] Fixation stability: Fixation force (N) after the base tip is inserted, and displacement of the equipment during the operation (mm).

[0092] High-risk area avoidance: safe distance (3mm threshold) and reach rate from preset high-risk areas.

[0093] Surgical efficiency: drilling time and path planning time.

[0094] Complications: Incidence of cerebrospinal fluid leakage, signs of postoperative infection.

[0095] II. Experimental Procedure

[0096] (I) Preoperative preparation

[0097] Image acquisition: Preoperative CT, intraoperative MRI, and real-time ultrasound scans were performed on the experimental group animals. The images were imported into the multimodal image fusion module of the intelligent skull drill system to generate three-dimensional coordinates including high-risk areas. The control group relied solely on preoperative CT.

[0098] Target setting: Mark the same target points on the animal skull (such as simulating deep brain lesions), and mark high-risk areas (venous sinuses, motor function areas) on the skull specimen.

[0099] (ii) Drilling operation

[0100] 1. Experimental group

[0101] Activate the multimodal navigation system to automatically generate the optimal path to avoid high-risk areas (3-5 candidate paths, selected according to weighted scores).

[0102] During the drilling process, when the temperature is ≥40℃, the air pump automatically delivers cold air to cool it down, while the base spikes are pushed into the scalp by the air pressure to fix them in place.

[0103] The precision depth control module adjusts the depth in real time, switches to conductivity monitoring when optical ranging fails, and automatically stops when the distance to the high-risk area is less than 3mm.

[0104] 2. Control group

[0105] The surgeon plans the path manually based on experience, without real-time navigation or warnings.

[0106] There is no temperature control; it relies solely on traditional saline solution for cooling. There is no dynamic fixation; it depends on manual clamping.

[0107] (III) Data Collection

[0108] Temperature monitoring: The temperature of the drill bit and surrounding tissue was recorded using an infrared thermal imager, with samples taken every 10 seconds.

[0109] Depth and Trajectory: By using an optical ranging sensor and a three-dimensional coordinate system, the deviation between the actual drilling path and the preset target point is compared.

[0110] Fixation force test: After the spike is inserted, a tension gauge is used to measure the fixation force between the base and the scalp.

[0111] Distance to high-risk areas: Records the distance between the drill bit and the virtual high-risk area boundary in real time. When the drill bit reaches the boundary, it is marked as "1" and when it does not reach the boundary, it is marked as "0".

[0112] (iv) Postoperative assessment

[0113] Tissue damage: Dissect the animal skull and measure the area of ​​thermal damage to brain tissue (area with temperature > 42℃).

[0114] Observation of complications: Observe the animals for 7 consecutive days for symptoms such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage and infection (elevated body temperature, redness and swelling of wounds).

[0115] III. Experimental Results

[0116] Table 1 Assessment of skull drilling operation

[0117]

[0118] IV. Discussion of Results

[0119] (a) Temperature control and tissue protection

[0120] The experimental group controlled the drill bit temperature below 37°C using a cold air circulation system, a reduction of 9.3°C compared to the control group, significantly reducing brain tissue thermal damage (area reduced by 75%). This verifies that the "temperature-triggered cold air cooling" method in the protocol can effectively avoid nerve damage caused by overheating from metal friction and reduce the risk of postoperative complications.

[0121] (ii) Drilling accuracy and stability

[0122] The depth deviation and trajectory offset of the experimental group were 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm, respectively, representing improvements of 78% and 76% compared to the control group. This improvement was attributed to the closed-loop feedback control of multimodal navigation (optical ranging + conductivity monitoring). The dynamic fixing force of the base spike reached 8.5 N, which is 2.7 times that of traditional manual clamping, eliminating errors caused by intraoperative equipment shaking and achieving "sub-millimeter" precise depth control.

[0123] (III) Avoidance and safety in high-risk areas

[0124] In the experimental group, using a dual identification mechanism of "imaging features + electrophysiological signals," none of the six cases reached the high-risk area, while the control group had a reach rate of 66.7%. When the distance to the high-risk area is less than 3 mm, the automatic braking mechanism of the early warning module reduces the risk of nerve damage by more than 90% compared to the traditional "experience control," demonstrating the advantage of "active early warning" over "passive prevention."

[0125] (iv) Surgical efficiency and clinical value

[0126] Although the experimental group had increased preoperative image fusion time, automated path planning (weighted scoring method) reduced the average drilling time by 32.8%, and no cerebrospinal fluid leakage or infection occurred. This indicates that the intelligent craniotomy system, through a closed-loop workflow of "image fusion - intelligent planning - dynamic adjustment," achieves simultaneous improvement in surgical efficiency and safety, providing a standardized operating paradigm for minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures.

[0127] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A skull drilling device, skull drilling system, and skull drilling method, characterized in that, The skull drill includes a skull drill, which is connected to a skull drilling system. The skull drill includes a shell (1) and a hollow drill bit (3). The drill bit (3) is also equipped with a temperature sensor that is connected to the skull drilling system. The bottom of the shell (1) is provided with a hollow base (2). The drill bit (3) is provided with a longitudinally circumferential partition, which divides the interior of the drill bit (3) into an airflow layer (12) and a circulation layer (11) from the inside to the outside. The partition has several flow holes (13). The inlet end of the airflow layer (12) is connected to a conveying component for inputting cold air into the airflow layer (12), and the outlet end of the circulation layer (11) is connected to a triggering component for triggering the base (2) to be reinforced by discharging cold air. The triggering component includes a piston plate (7) slidably connected to the inner side wall of the base (2). The bottom of the piston plate (7) is provided with a fixing component for fixing the cranial drill to the patient's head.

2. The skull drilling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston plate (7) divides the interior of the base (2) into a first air chamber (6) and a second air chamber (9) from top to bottom. The outlet end of the circulation layer (11) has several exhaust holes (10) that are all connected to the first air chamber (6). The fixing component extends to the outside of the base (2) and is slidably connected to the bottom wall of the base (2).

3. The skull drilling device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixing assembly includes an airbag fixedly connected to the bottom of the piston plate (7), and the airbag is provided with several spikes (8).

4. The skull drilling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The delivery assembly includes an air pump (5) and a delivery pipe that are interconnected. The air pump (5) is connected to the inlet end of the airflow layer (12) through the delivery pipe. An air valve is provided on the delivery pipe. Both the air pump (5) and the air valve are connected to the skull drilling system via signal.

5. The skull drilling device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The tip of the drill bit (3) is equipped with an optical ranging sensor that is connected to the drill head system signal.

6. The skull drilling device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The drill bit (3) is also surrounded by several conductive probes near the tip.

7. The skull drilling device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer casing (1) is equipped with a drive motor (4), and the output shaft of the drive motor (4) is coaxially and fixedly connected to the drill bit (3).

8. The skull drilling device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The partition is located inside the airflow layer (12) with a clockwise downward thread structure on one side, and outside the airflow layer (12) with a counterclockwise upward thread structure on the other side.

9. A skull drilling system, applicable to the skull drilling apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, It includes a multimodal image fusion module, a hazardous area identification module, a precise depth control module, an execution module, and an early warning module; among which: The multimodal image fusion module is used to simultaneously acquire preoperative CT, intraoperative MRI and real-time ultrasound image data. It uses a dynamic spatial registration algorithm based on anatomical landmarks and a grayscale fusion algorithm to process the data, generate fused image data containing the three-dimensional coordinates of intracranial blood vessels and functional areas, and transmit the fused image data to the danger area identification module. The danger zone identification module is used to receive fused image data, use deep learning algorithms to extract feature vectors of high-risk area images of venous sinuses and brain functional areas, mark the three-dimensional coordinate range of high-risk areas, generate high-risk area identification results and graded early warning trigger signals, and transmit the high-risk area identification results to the precision depth control module and the graded early warning trigger signals to the early warning module. The precision depth control module is connected to the cranial drill. The precision depth control module is used to receive the high-risk area identification results, real-time depth data transmitted by the optical ranging sensor, and conductivity data transmitted by the conductive probe. It uses a closed-loop feedback control algorithm to calculate the depth deviation between the cranial drill and the target point and the safe distance between the cranial drill and the high-risk area. Based on the CT data obtained before the operation and the drilling resistance, it dynamically generates the depth adjustment parameters of the cranial drill and transmits the depth adjustment parameters to the execution module. The execution module is used to receive depth adjustment parameters, drive the feeding mechanism of the skull drill according to the depth adjustment parameters, control the puncture depth and running trajectory of the skull drill, and collect the real-time position, drilling speed, drilling resistance data and temperature data of the skull drill. When the temperature generated by the friction between the drill bit (3) and the skull during the skull drilling process is ≥40℃, the execution module controls the air pump (5) to deliver cold air and cool the outer wall of the drill bit (3). At the same time, the execution module feeds back the real-time position, drilling speed and drilling resistance data of the drill bit (3) to the precision depth control module in real time. The early warning module is used to receive graded early warning trigger signals and issue early warning prompts using a combination of sound and light according to the signal level. When the distance between the skull drill and the high-risk area is less than the preset safety threshold of 3mm, an automatic stop signal is generated and transmitted to the execution module.

10. A method for drilling a skull, operating based on the skull drilling apparatus and skull drilling system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1, Multimodal Image Fusion: Multimodal image data is acquired and fused through the multimodal image fusion module to obtain a fused image containing the spatial relationship of intracranial structures; before drilling, a pre-scan of the cortex is performed using a conductive probe to obtain baseline data of electrical conductivity at the puncture point, which is matched with the cortical thickness data of the fused image to generate a personalized cortical depth mapping table. Step 2, Hazardous Area Identification and Path Planning: The hazardous area identification module marks high-risk areas, and based on the fused imagery and high-risk area information, the precision depth control module generates the optimal drilling path to avoid high-risk areas; Step 3, Real-time Precise Depth Control: The execution module drives the cranial drill along the optimal path. The precise depth control module combines the real-time depth data, conductivity data, and high-risk area location of the cranial drill to dynamically adjust the depth of the cranial drill. When the optical ranging sensor signal is lost or abnormal, it switches to the conductivity monitoring mode based on conductive probes. The current brain tissue level is identified by the change in conductivity to assist in depth judgment. At the same time, the drilling speed is adaptively adjusted according to the hardness of the skull. Step 4, Early Warning and Emergency Handling: The early warning module issues an early warning based on the distance to the high-risk area. When the skull drill approaches the high-risk area to the preset threshold, the skull drill is automatically stopped. When the temperature generated by the friction between the drill bit (3) and the skull during the skull drilling process is ≥40℃, the air pump (5) is controlled to deliver cold air and cool the drill bit (3). The cold air is discharged into the base (2) through the circulation layer (11), thereby pushing the piston plate (7) downward, so that the spike (8) can penetrate the patient's scalp to further fix the skull drill and the base (2).

Images