Adjustable Marker Reference Layout for Multi-Instrument Surgical Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of multiple dynamic reference frames (DRFs) for surgical instruments in navigation systems increases production and maintenance costs, and transferring DRFs during surgery poses contamination risks, affecting surgical success.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable marker reference device with a base, upper cover, connecting rods, markers, and a fixing button that allows for multiple configurations to meet NDI's DRF design rules, reducing the need for multiple DRFs by enabling a single device to adapt to different surgical instruments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple DRFs are designed and produced to represent different functional surgical instruments, then the identification accuracy of surgical instruments is improved, but the production cost and maintenance cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single DRF device that can represent multiple types of surgical instruments through adjustable connecting rods. The device includes a base with multiple first grooves, an upper cover with multiple second grooves, and connecting rods that can be positioned at different locations. By adjusting the connecting rods between the base and upper cover, the same device can configure different marker arrangements to represent drills, cannulas, K-wires, trocars, taps, and screwdrivers, eliminating the need to produce separate DRFs for each instrument type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the connecting rods adjustable rather than fixed. The connecting rods can be repositioned along the grooves to change the spatial arrangement of markers on the upper cover. This dynamic adjustability allows the device to adapt its configuration based on the specific surgical instrument being represented, enabling one physical device to serve multiple functional representations without requiring multiple static DRF designs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple DRFs are produced for different surgical instruments, then the identification capability is improved, but the maintenance cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality through a single DRF device design that can represent multiple surgical instrument types. The base, upper cover, and connecting rods are configured to allow adjustment of marker positions, enabling the same device to identify different instruments (drills, cannulas, K-wires, trocars, taps, screwdrivers) without requiring separate DRFs for each instrument type, thereby reducing maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by eliminating the need to discard (produce new) DRFs when surgical instrument types change. Instead, the existing DRF device can be recovered and reconfigured by adjusting the connecting rods to match the required instrument representation, avoiding the cost and complexity of producing and maintaining multiple specialized DRFs.
3Productivity
If DRFs are transferred during surgery to address DRF shortage, then the surgical procedure can continue, but the contamination risk increases and the success rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by providing a single DRF device that can represent multiple surgical instrument types through adjustable connecting rods. This eliminates the scenario of DRF shortage during surgery, as one device can serve all instrument types. The base with multiple first grooves and upper cover with multiple second grooves allow the connecting rods to be positioned to match any required instrument configuration, ensuring continuous availability without transfers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling the DRF device to be reconfigured during surgery to match different instrument requirements. The connecting rods can be adjusted along the grooves to change marker arrangements, allowing the device to adapt to different surgical needs without requiring physical transfer. This dynamic adaptability maintains surgical continuity while eliminating contamination risks associated with transferring DRFs between different instrument representations.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable marker reference device for identifying surgical instruments includes a base, an upper cover, a set of connecting rods, markers and a fixing button. The base has a first groove, and the upper cover has a second groove. The set of connecting rods is disposed between the base and the upper cover, and has two movable ends and a pivot point. The fixing button extends through the first groove, the pivot point and the second groove. When the fixing button is pressed, the set of connecting rods can freely bring the pivot point to slide along the first groove and the second groove. When the fixing button is not pressed and the pivot point is fixed at one of default positions, the set of connecting rods is fixed. As the set of connecting rods is fixed, virtual lines between any two of the markers meet specific conditions.