A surgeon-guided method and system for positioning and fixing a surface guide plate

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and more particularly to a method and system for positioning and fixing a surgeon-guided surface guide plate. The method includes: acquiring three-dimensional topographic data of the target area to construct a digital model; determining the initial anchoring coordinates for surgeon guidance and planning a dynamic path; generating an adaptive anchoring strategy and establishing physical constraint fulcrums on a general body surface; and fine-tuning and locking through interactive feedback. The system includes: a spatial topography perception module, a central processing unit, an adaptive anchoring execution mechanism composed of flexible support units, a surgeon's interactive interface, and a locking monitoring module. This invention achieves stable anchoring on a general body surface, and the anchoring position can be defined by the surgeon according to the actual situation, significantly improving the flexibility, applicability, and safety of surgical guidance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a surgeon-guided method and system for positioning and fixing a surface guide plate. Background Technology

[0002] As an important branch of surgical guidance, surface guide plate technology mainly establishes a stable surgical path support system on the patient's body surface through a pre-set guide structure.

[0003] Traditional surface guide positioning and fixation techniques rely too heavily on anatomical structures, typically requiring prominent bony landmarks for support. For general surface areas lacking hard tissue support, such as the trunk or limbs, the anchoring effect and stability often fail to meet surgical requirements. Furthermore, existing surface guide fixation mechanisms are usually statically locked, making it difficult for surgeons to autonomously define and dynamically adjust the anchoring position based on the patient's real-time position or intraoperative conditions, thus lacking necessary surgeon-guided interaction capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a surgeon-guided method and system for positioning and fixing a surface guide plate, which can effectively solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention provides a method for positioning and fixing a surgeon-guided surface guide plate, comprising:

[0006] S1. A pre-defined patterned coded grating is projected onto a general body surface area using a structured light projection device, and the deformed grating image is captured using an image acquisition device; the body surface depth information is extracted using a phase unwrapping algorithm and converted into dense point cloud data with color information to construct a digital body surface mapping model.

[0007] S2. Receive the operator's guidance instructions, including the spatial coordinates of the target operation point and the preset value of the instrument intervention angle, project a virtual guide vector onto the digital body surface mapping model, and identify the selectable anchoring area that meets the anatomical safety threshold based on the intersection of the virtual guide vector and the body surface mapping model.

[0008] The surgeon can then independently select a specific location within the selectable anchoring area as the initial anchoring coordinates, thereby planning a dynamic surgical path in the virtual space.

[0009] S3. Based on the initial anchoring coordinates and the curvature distribution of the surrounding body surface, calculate the distribution parameters of the multi-point support matrix, and drive the adaptive actuator composed of multiple independently adjustable flexible support feet to adjust the geometric configuration of the contact surface according to the distribution parameters to match the local morphology of the general body surface.

[0010] By calculating the preset extension length of the flexible support foot in the normal direction, the height fluctuation of the general body surface is compensated, and the electromagnetic damping characteristics of the flexible support foot are adjusted by controlling the micro-drive device so that it is in a compliant state in the initial contact with the body surface. After the shape matching is completed, the vacuum adsorption device generates a preset strength of physical constraint force at the physical constraint fulcrum to achieve initial anchoring.

[0011] S4. The dynamic surgical path and the actual body surface position are fused and projected using augmented reality equipment. The array of pressure sensors set at the end of the flexible support foot are used to monitor the pressure gradient distribution data in real time. After receiving the confirmation signal sent by the surgeon through the interactive interface, the motion degrees of freedom of each flexible support foot are rigidly connected by an electromagnetic drive device. At the same time, the negative pressure gradient of the vacuum adsorption device is increased to complete the final positioning and fixation of the body surface guide plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, the digital body surface mapping model is constructed in S1 through non-contact optical scanning logic; the structured light projection device projects a striped grating with a specific phase difference onto the target area; and the image acquisition device captures deformed stripe images that change shape with the geometric undulations of the body surface at a preset frequency.

[0013] In some embodiments, determining the initial anchoring coordinates in S2 includes: the central processing unit executing a logic determination program to find the geometric intersection of the virtual guide vector and the digital body surface mapping model, and automatically retrieving terrain features within a preset range around the geometric intersection;

[0014] By comparing with preset anatomical safety thresholds, superficial large blood vessels, nerve trunks and skin damage areas are identified, and candidate areas that meet the physical support conditions are marked on the digital body surface mapping model by color differentiation.

[0015] Based on parameters such as the surgical field of view and ease of operation, the surgeon performs a spatial coordinate selection operation in the candidate area and defines the selected position as the initial anchor coordinate.

[0016] In some embodiments, the physical constraint force generating the preset strength in S3 includes two modes:

[0017] The first mode is the vacuum adsorption mode, which uses a negative pressure pump to extract air from the adsorption chamber inside the adsorption plate, so that the skin on the body surface is tightly bonded to the sealing ring of the adsorption plate under the action of external atmospheric pressure.

[0018] The second mode is a viscoelastic coupling mode, which uses micro-hooked fabric or medical adhesive layer set at the end of the supporting foot to generate frictional constraint with the body surface.

[0019] Another aspect of the present invention provides a surgeon-guided surface guide plate positioning and fixation system for implementing a surgeon-guided surface guide plate positioning and fixation method, comprising:

[0020] The spatial shape perception module includes an optical projection unit and an image acquisition unit, which are used to project structured light onto the target area and capture deformable grating images to construct a digital body surface mapping model that records the geometric contours and micro-textures of the body surface. The output of the spatial shape perception module is connected to the central processing unit.

[0021] The central processing unit is configured to execute multi-core parallel processing logic, receive the digital body surface mapping model data and the surgeon's input guidance instructions, generate virtual guide vectors and plan dynamic surgical paths, and calculate adaptive body surface anchoring strategies and multi-point support matrix distribution parameters based on the body surface curvature distribution.

[0022] The adaptive anchoring actuator includes multiple radially distributed and independently adjustable flexible support units. Each flexible support unit integrates a displacement sensor, a servo drive motor, and an end adsorption component to adjust the geometric configuration according to the instructions of the central processing unit and establish a physical constraint fulcrum with conformal fitting capability on a general body surface.

[0023] The surgeon's interactive interface includes an augmented reality projection device and a haptic feedback module, which are used to spatially align the virtual surgical guidance path with the physical anchoring position on the patient's body surface and to alert the surgeon to the locking status or displacement risk through a vibration motor.

[0024] The locking monitoring module is electrically connected to the adaptive anchoring actuator and the array pressure sensor. It is used to execute rigid switching locking logic after positioning is completed, and to monitor the negative pressure intensity and pressure gradient distribution in real time to maintain the stability of the fixed state.

[0025] In some embodiments, the flexible support unit end of the adaptive anchoring actuator adopts a composite material structure, which includes a rheological fluid chamber.

[0026] In some embodiments, the central processing unit induces a phase change in the rheological fluid by controlling the coil current intensity, thereby achieving a millisecond-level transition of the support unit from a compliant state to a high-hardness solid-like state.

[0027] In some embodiments, the locking monitoring module includes a self-locking wedge mechanism for maintaining the physical position of each support unit in the event of a power outage.

[0028] In some embodiments, the surgeon's interface is synchronized with the central processing unit with sub-millimeter precision coordinates via a wireless transmission protocol, and displays a virtual guide beam with depth scale in real time.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0030] 1. The digital body surface mapping model of the present invention enables accurate quantification of complex general body surface morphology, providing a solid data foundation for anchoring guide plates in areas lacking hard tissue support;

[0031] 2. The adaptive anchoring actuator can dynamically adjust the contact configuration according to the local curvature. Combined with negative pressure adsorption or friction coupling technology, it establishes an extremely stable physical constraint on the soft tissue surface, which greatly expands the application range of surgical-assisted positioning technology.

[0032] 3. This invention organically combines the surgeon's clinical experience with the system's calculations through a surgeon-guided interactive mechanism. The surgeon can autonomously define the anchoring position and intervention path based on the real-time situation at the surgical site, changes in the patient's position, and clinical operating habits. This dynamic adjustment capability improves the limitations of traditional static guide plate design, effectively shortens the preoperative imaging modeling cycle, and enables the system to have better real-time surgical response capabilities.

[0033] 4. By integrating an array of pressure sensors at the end of the flexible support unit, real-time quantitative monitoring of the pressure state on the body surface is achieved; the system can automatically optimize the distribution of support force according to the pressure gradient distribution, which not only ensures the stability of the anchoring, but also effectively prevents skin and subcutaneous soft tissue damage that may be caused by excessive local pressure.

[0034] 5. By employing non-contact optical scanning and augmented reality projection technology, a complete digital interactive closed loop is constructed, allowing surgeons to quickly deploy the guide plate under intuitive visual guidance. This visualized operation process significantly reduces intraoperative errors in guide plate positioning.

[0035] 6. By adopting negative pressure gradient control, the negative pressure value can be dynamically adjusted to adapt to different skin surfaces while ensuring adsorption strength. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the surgeon-guided body surface guide plate positioning and fixation method of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the surgeon-guided body surface guide plate positioning and fixation system of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The following will refer to the appendices in the embodiments of the present invention. Figures 1-2 The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described together. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0040] Example 1

[0041] This embodiment provides a surgeon-guided method for positioning and fixing a surface guide plate. This method is particularly suitable for general body surfaces such as the trunk, limbs, or soft tissue areas that do not have significant bony support. In the absence of hard bones as anatomical references, this method establishes a stable and precise surgical benchmark on the patient's skin surface through digital shape perception and adaptive mechanical feedback.

[0042] When S1 is executed, the system first activates the spatial topography perception module, which includes a sophisticated optical projection and acquisition device. Specifically, the structured light projection device projects a pre-defined pattern of coded gratings onto the surface of the target body. These gratings typically consist of a series of stripes with a specific phase difference.

[0043] When light stripes are projected onto the patient's body surface, which has undulating features, the geometry of the stripes changes accordingly. At this time, two image acquisition devices arranged at an angle capture the deformed grating image modulated on the body surface at a frequency of more than 60 frames per second.

[0044] The central processing unit then performs pixel-level analysis on the captured image, extracting the depth parameters corresponding to each pixel using phase unwrapping technology. During this process, the system does not use any mathematical formulas, but instead describes the continuous shift of the stripe phase using pure textual logic, converting it into three-dimensional spatial coordinates. Finally, these coordinate data are aggregated into dense point cloud data with color information, thereby constructing a high-precision digital body surface mapping model. This model not only records the macroscopic geometric contours of the body surface but also captures microscopic texture features such as skin folds and pore distribution, providing a basis for subsequent localization.

[0045] During S2 execution, the central processing unit first receives guidance instructions input by the operator through the interactive interface. These instructions include the spatial coordinates of the target operation point predicted by the operator based on clinical experience, as well as preset values ​​for the instrument intervention angle. For example, during abdominal paracentesis guidance, the operator can initially set the entry point and direction of the guide needle based on the imaging location of the lesion. Next, the system projects this instruction onto a digital surface mapping model to generate a virtual guide vector. This vector is represented in virtual space as a straight line extending from the expected entry point into the deeper tissue.

[0046] The system uses a logical decision-making process to find the geometric intersection of the virtual guide vector and the surface mapping model. At this point, the system automatically searches for terrain features around the intersection and filters them based on a preset anatomical safety threshold. This safety threshold refers to avoiding important superficial blood vessels, nerve trunks, or areas of skin damage. The system then highlights several eligible anchoring areas on the model using color. Finally, the surgeon, through an interactive device, autonomously selects the most ideal location within these selectable areas as the initial anchoring coordinates, based on factors such as the surgical field of view and ease of operation.

[0047] During S3 execution, the central processing unit analyzes the surface curvature distribution within a 30-50 mm radius around the initial anchor coordinates. The system identifies surface protrusions, depressions, and slope variation trends. Based on these topographic features, the system calculates the distribution parameters of a multi-point support matrix, which defines the relative position vector of each support point in three-dimensional space.

[0048] Upon receiving a command, the adaptive actuator drives multiple independently adjustable flexible support feet to move. Each flexible support foot integrates a miniature DC servo motor, and its extension and retraction are precisely controlled via a lead screw transmission mechanism. The system adjusts the normal extension of each support foot according to the height undulations of the body surface, so that the end group of support feet forms a contact surface geometry that is completely complementary to the local morphology of the body surface. In the initial contact phase, the system adjusts the electromagnetic damping characteristics of the flexible support feet by controlling the miniature drive device, causing them to exhibit a low-stiffness compliant state, allowing them to conform to the body surface like a liquid.

[0049] Once the morphological matching is complete, the system activates the vacuum adsorption device. This device uses a negative pressure pump to extract air from the adsorption chamber at the end of the support foot. As the air pressure decreases, the skin is pressed tightly against the sealing ring of the support foot under the action of external atmospheric pressure, thereby generating an adsorption force of a preset strength. For areas unsuitable for vacuum adsorption, the system switches to a viscoelastic coupling mode, using micro-hooked fabric or medical adhesive layers to generate frictional force, achieving initial physical anchoring of the guide plate.

[0050] When performing S4, the augmented reality device will project the dynamic surgical path and the actual body surface position into a virtual-real fusion. After the surgeon puts on the augmented reality helmet, he can directly see the relative position of the virtual guide hole and the patient's body. If the surgeon finds that the position is deviated due to breathing or slight adjustments in the patient's position, he can send a fine-tuning signal through the interactive handle.

[0051] The central processing unit adjusts the displacement compensation of the adaptive actuator in real time. At the end of the support foot, an array of pressure sensors continuously collects pressure gradient distribution data of the contact surface. If the pressure at a certain point exceeds the preset soft tissue safety bearing threshold, the system will alert the surgeon with text messages or color warnings and automatically retract the length of the support foot to prevent tissue damage or circulatory obstruction.

[0052] Once the surgeon confirms the position is completely accurate, a locking command is issued. At this point, the locking monitoring module is activated, and the electromagnetic braking device is used to rigidly connect the extension and retraction degrees of each flexible support foot, instantly switching it from a compliant state to a highly rigid support state. Simultaneously, the negative pressure gradient of the vacuum adsorption device is further increased, enhancing the adsorption strength.

[0053] At this point, the final positioning and fixation are complete.

[0054] Example 2

[0055] This embodiment further describes in detail the surgeon-guided surface guide plate positioning and fixation system, which serves as the hardware carrier of the method in Embodiment 1 and achieves stable anchoring of non-bone surfaces through electromechanical cooperation.

[0056] The system's spatial topography perception module employs a non-contact, high-precision optical scanning head, which integrates a high-speed digital light processing projector and two sets of monochrome global shutter image sensors. During operation, the projector emits blue structured light with a wavelength of 450 nanometers. Because blue light has weak penetration into the skin surface, it enables the acquisition of more precise surface contour data. The image sensors capture images in a synchronously triggered manner and transmit the data to the central processing unit via a high-speed bus.

[0057] The central processing unit employs a multi-core high-performance processor to handle massive amounts of point cloud data and complex path planning logic. Internally, this unit runs an adaptive control algorithm, which is translated into plain text execution logic: first, it reads the coordinate array input from the spatial topography perception module; second, it extracts the average normal vector of the target region; then, it compares the angle error between the surgeon's guidance instructions and the current normal vector. If the angle error exceeds 5 degrees, the system automatically adjusts the starting point of the virtual guide vector until it finds an area that satisfies both the surgical operating angle and provides good physical support.

[0058] In this embodiment, the adaptive anchoring actuator includes 12 radially distributed flexible support units. Each unit is equipped with an adsorption plate with a spherical universal joint at its end. The universal joint allows the adsorption plate to swing freely within a range of ±30 degrees to perfectly conform to body surfaces with varying inclines. High-precision linear displacement sensors with a resolution of 0.01 mm are arranged inside the telescopic rods of the flexible support units. Through a closed-loop control system, the central processing unit can obtain the precise position of each support foot in real time and make feedback adjustments based on changes in the curvature of the body surface.

[0059] To enhance system safety and stability, this embodiment integrates an array of 16 pressure sensors at the end of each support unit. These sensors can detect minute pressure distribution variations. When the system is anchored on a normal body surface, such as a patient's abdomen, the abdominal wall will periodically displace with the patient's breathing. At this time, the locking monitoring module does not completely lock the support foot, but rather maintains a "dynamic flexible locking" state. Based on feedback from the pressure sensors, the system drives a servo motor to perform synchronous compensation movement, ensuring that the relative pressure between the guide plate and the skin remains constant. This guarantees the coordinate stability of the guide hole and prevents the guide plate from loosening or the skin from abrasion caused by breathing.

[0060] In this embodiment, the surgeon's interface is represented by a large medical-grade touchscreen tablet and a set of wireless augmented reality glasses. The tablet is mainly used for preoperative model display and path parameter setting. The augmented reality glasses play a crucial role during the surgical procedure. Through spatial positioning algorithms, the system precisely aligns the virtual surgical guidance path with the physical anchoring position on the patient's body surface. The surgeon can see a semi-transparent green beam of light extending into the body from the guide plate's aperture, with depth markings on the beam, allowing the surgeon to clearly see every millimeter of instrument insertion.

[0061] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0062] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A method for positioning and fixing a surgeon-guided surface guide plate, characterized in that, include: S1. A pre-defined patterned coded grating is projected onto a general body surface area using a structured light projection device, and the deformed grating image is captured using an image acquisition device; The body surface depth information is extracted by phase unwrapping algorithm and transformed into dense point cloud data with color information to construct a digital body surface mapping model. S2. Receive the operator's guidance instructions, including the spatial coordinates of the target operation point and the preset value of the instrument intervention angle, project a virtual guide vector onto the digital body surface mapping model, and identify the selectable anchoring area that meets the anatomical safety threshold based on the intersection of the virtual guide vector and the body surface mapping model. The surgeon can then independently select a specific location within the selectable anchoring area as the initial anchoring coordinates, thereby planning a dynamic surgical path in the virtual space. S3. Based on the initial anchoring coordinates and the curvature distribution of the surrounding body surface, calculate the distribution parameters of the multi-point support matrix, and drive the adaptive actuator composed of multiple independently adjustable flexible support feet to adjust the geometric configuration of the contact surface according to the distribution parameters to match the local morphology of the general body surface. By calculating the preset extension length of the flexible support foot in the normal direction, the height fluctuation of the general body surface is compensated, and the electromagnetic damping characteristics of the flexible support foot are adjusted by controlling the micro-drive device so that it is in a compliant state in the initial contact with the body surface. After the shape matching is completed, the vacuum adsorption device generates a preset strength of physical constraint force at the physical constraint fulcrum to achieve initial anchoring. S4. The dynamic surgical path and the actual body surface position are fused and projected using augmented reality equipment. The array of pressure sensors set at the end of the flexible support foot are used to monitor the pressure gradient distribution data in real time. After receiving the confirmation signal sent by the surgeon through the interactive interface, the motion degrees of freedom of each flexible support foot are rigidly connected by an electromagnetic drive device. At the same time, the negative pressure gradient of the vacuum adsorption device is increased to complete the final positioning and fixation of the body surface guide plate.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The digital body surface mapping model constructed in S1 is realized through non-contact optical scanning logic; the structured light projection device projects a striped grating with a specific phase difference onto the target area; the image acquisition device captures deformed stripe images that change shape with the geometric undulations of the body surface at a preset frequency.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The determination of the initial anchoring coordinates in S2 includes: the central processing unit executing a logic determination program to find the geometric intersection of the virtual guide vector and the digital body surface mapping model, and automatically retrieving terrain features within a preset range around the geometric intersection; By comparing with preset anatomical safety thresholds, superficial large blood vessels, nerve trunks and skin damage areas are identified, and candidate areas that meet the physical support conditions are marked on the digital body surface mapping model by color differentiation. Based on parameters such as the surgical field of view and ease of operation, the surgeon performs a spatial coordinate selection operation in the candidate area and defines the selected position as the initial anchor coordinate.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The physical constraint force with a preset strength generated in S3 includes two modes: The first mode is the vacuum adsorption mode, which uses a negative pressure pump to extract air from the adsorption chamber inside the adsorption plate, so that the skin on the body surface is tightly bonded to the sealing ring of the adsorption plate under the action of external atmospheric pressure. The second mode is a viscoelastic coupling mode, which uses micro-hooked fabric or medical adhesive layer set at the end of the supporting foot to generate frictional constraint with the body surface.

5. A surgeon-guided surface guide plate positioning and fixation system for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, include: The spatial shape perception module includes an optical projection unit and an image acquisition unit, which are used to project structured light onto the target area and capture deformable grating images to construct a digital body surface mapping model that records the geometric contours and micro-textures of the body surface. The output of the spatial shape perception module is connected to the central processing unit. The central processing unit is configured to execute multi-core parallel processing logic, receive the digital body surface mapping model data and the surgeon's input guidance instructions, generate virtual guide vectors and plan dynamic surgical paths, and calculate adaptive body surface anchoring strategies and multi-point support matrix distribution parameters based on the body surface curvature distribution. The adaptive anchoring actuator includes multiple radially distributed and independently adjustable flexible support units. Each flexible support unit integrates a displacement sensor, a servo drive motor, and an end adsorption component to adjust the geometric configuration according to the instructions of the central processing unit and establish a physical constraint fulcrum with conformal fitting capability on a general body surface. The surgeon's interactive interface includes an augmented reality projection device and a haptic feedback module, which are used to spatially align the virtual surgical guidance path with the physical anchoring position on the patient's body surface and to alert the surgeon to the locking status or displacement risk through a vibration motor. The locking monitoring module is electrically connected to the adaptive anchoring actuator and the array pressure sensor. It is used to execute rigid switching locking logic after positioning is completed, and to monitor the negative pressure intensity and pressure gradient distribution in real time to maintain the stability of the fixed state.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The flexible support unit of the adaptive anchoring actuator adopts a composite material structure at its end, which includes a rheological fluid chamber.

7. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The central processing unit induces a phase change in the rheological fluid by controlling the coil current intensity, thereby achieving a millisecond-level transition of the support unit from a compliant state to a high-hardness solid-like state.

8. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The locking monitoring module includes a self-locking wedge mechanism to maintain the physical position of each support unit in the event of a power outage.

9. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The operator's interface is synchronized with the central processing unit via a wireless transmission protocol with sub-millimeter precision coordinates, and displays a virtual guide beam with depth scale in real time.

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