3D Bone Surface Portal Determination for Arthroscopy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for diagnosing and treating Femoro Acetabular Impingement (FAI) are inaccurate and laborious, especially in minimally invasive arthroscopic procedures, due to limited visibility and access, leading to incomplete decompression and high radiation exposure.

Innovation Solution

A method for automatically determining pre-operative arthroscopic portals from 3D medical images by constructing a bone surface, identifying anatomical landmarks, and using a transform to match a reference coordinate system, allowing for accurate portal placement and simulation of arthroscopic images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual processing of 3D images is used for diagnosis, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but accuracy and reproducibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic processing of 3D medical images to determine access areas without requiring manual intervention. The computer automatically segments bone structures, identifies anatomical landmarks, and calculates optimal arthroscopic portals from the 3D patient images, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for laborious manual tasks while maintaining high accuracy and reproducibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical processing methods with an automated computer-based system that uses image processing algorithms and geometric calculations. The system substitutes human operators with computational methods that automatically analyze 3D images, determine bone surfaces, and calculate portal locations, thereby improving accuracy and reproducibility while reducing processing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If arthroscopic procedures are performed without precise portal determination, then minimally invasive benefits are achieved, but incomplete decompression and treatment failure occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment success rateVSAvoidsurgical difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs pre-operative determination of access areas and portal locations by automatically processing 3D patient images. The computer calculates optimal entry points and instrument trajectories before surgery, allowing surgeons to plan procedures in advance with precise anatomical guidance, thereby improving treatment success while reducing intraoperative difficulty

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a computer-based image processing system as an intermediary between the patient's anatomy and the surgical procedure. This intermediary automatically analyzes 3D images, determines bone surfaces, identifies landmarks, and calculates optimal portals, providing a bridge that translates complex anatomical data into actionable surgical guidance, thereby improving reliability while easing operational difficulty

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Illumination intensity

If intra-operative fluoroscopy is used for instrument localization, then visibility and control are improved, but radiation exposure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual controlVSAvoidradiation exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a virtual 3D model of the patient's anatomy by processing 3D medical images. This virtual copy of the anatomical structures allows surgeons to visualize and plan procedures without exposing patients to radiation. The system replaces the need for repeated fluoroscopic imaging with a pre-created digital anatomical model that can be viewed multiple times without additional radiation exposure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2583244B1Method of determination of access areas from 3D patient images

Publication Date: 2019.07.24 A2 SURGICAL

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AI summary

Method of determination of access areas from 3D patient images The invention relates to amethod for automatically determining at least one pre-operative portal for arthroscopy from acquired pre-operative medical images of a bone of a patient, the method comprising the following steps: i)constructing a 3Dsurface(S) of the bone from the 3D image of the bone; ii)determining anatomical landmarks of the bone from the 3D surface; iii)determining a bone reference coordinate system (Rbone); iv)selecting at least one predetermined portal in a database of positions of predetermined portals; v)determining a transform between the bone reference coordinate system (Rbone) and the model coordinate system (Ratlas) so that the bone of the patient and the bone of the reference person are matched in size, in position and/or shape; vi)inferring from the transform and the at least one predetermined portal the pre-operative portal.