Catheter Visual Markings for Real-Time Orientation Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical instruments, such as catheters, are rotationally symmetric, making it difficult for users to distinguish their pitch axis from their yaw axis in real-time images, complicating their navigation during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The medical instruments are designed with asymmetric visual features to break rotational symmetry, and a system that includes a robotic arm and control circuitry to articulate the instruments in multiple directions, with a graphical interface displaying a mapping of these directions for enhanced navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If medical instruments are designed with rotational symmetry, then manufacturing is simplified and structural integrity is maintained, but orientation discrimination becomes difficult during procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by placing visual features (such as colored bands, patterns, or markers) at specific asymmetric positions around the instrument shaft. This breaks the rotational symmetry while maintaining the overall symmetric structure, enabling users to distinguish pitch and yaw axes in real-time images without complicating the manufacturing process significantly.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If visual features are added to break rotational symmetry, then orientation discrimination is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding visual features only at specific locations on the instrument shaft rather than modifying the entire structure. These localized features (such as colored bands or markers at predetermined positions) provide orientation information without requiring complex modifications throughout the device, thus minimizing overall device complexity.
3Measurement precision
If a robotic arm with multiple articulation directions is used, then navigation precision is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by providing real-time visual indicators in the graphical user interface that show the current orientation and articulation state of the medical instrument. This feedback mechanism allows operators to monitor and adjust the robotic arm's position and orientation, simplifying control despite the multiple articulation directions by providing continuous orientation information.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides methods, devices, and systems for manipulating a medical instrument from the perspective of another medical instrument (such as an endoscope). The present implementations more specifically relate to techniques for controlling a medical instrument having an elongate shaft that is symmetrical in shape about its roll axis (such as a catheter). When a catheter is within a field-of-view (FOV) of a camera disposed on an endoscope, the catheter can be seen in real-time images captured by the camera. In some aspects, the elongate shaft may include markings or labels on its outer surface so that it appears asymmetric about its roll axis. Example suitable markings can include any visual cue or other indication that reduces or eliminates the rotational symmetry of the catheter (such as colors, shapes, lights, patterns, and/or various other features that can be seen in the FOV of the camera or projected onto the images).