EM-EP Surgical Navigation System for Reliable Instrument Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current navigation systems for tracking instruments within a patient often face challenges in providing accurate and reliable positioning, especially when multiple modalities are required, such as in procedures involving electromagnetic and electropotential tracking systems, due to interference from RF energy and varying tissue impedances.
Innovation Solution
A navigation system that combines electromagnetic (EM) and electropotential (EP) tracking systems, allowing for the use of a single instrument with multiple tracking sensors to register both systems during a procedure, enabling accurate positioning by coordinating points between the EM and EP navigation domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electromagnetic (EM) and electropotential (EP) tracking systems are combined to navigate a single instrument, then positioning accuracy and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines EM and EP tracking systems into a single navigation system that uses both modalities simultaneously to track surgical instruments. The instrument includes both an EM coil for electromagnetic tracking and an electrode for electropotential tracking, allowing the system to overcome the limitations of each individual modality and achieve more reliable positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical instrument is designed with multi-functional tracking capabilities, incorporating both EM coil and electrode elements that can be tracked by either or both navigation systems. This universal tracking approach allows the same instrument to be monitored through multiple physical principles (electromagnetic induction and electrical potential measurement), improving reliability without requiring separate instruments for each modality.
2Measurement precision
If multiple tracking sensors are added to an instrument for multi-modality navigation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple tracking sensors (EM coil and electrode) are integrated into a single surgical instrument shaft. The EM coil is positioned within the electrode array, creating a compact multi-sensor configuration that maintains high measurement precision while minimizing the increase in instrument complexity through space-efficient design.
Solution Approach 2:
The EM coil is nested within the electrode array structure, with the coil positioned inside the region defined by the electrode contacts. This nested configuration allows both tracking modalities to coexist in a compact arrangement, improving measurement precision without proportionally increasing the overall instrument size or complexity.
3Measurement precision
If registration procedures are performed to coordinate EM and EP navigation domains, then positioning accuracy is improved, but loss of time occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The relative positioning relationship between the EM coil and electrode array is predetermined during instrument manufacturing. This preliminary establishment of geometric relationships allows the navigation system to perform faster registration procedures, as the transformation parameters between coordinate systems can be calculated more efficiently when the physical geometry is known in advance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This combination allows for continuous tracking of instruments during procedures, overcoming interference issues and providing precise positioning even in complex anatomical environments, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of surgical navigation.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic (EM) tracking system that uses an electromagnetic field to track a position of an EM coil
Implementation Method 2
an electropotential (EP) tracking system that uses a electrical potential field to track a position of an electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A navigation system or combination of navigation systems can be used to provide two or more navigation modalities to navigate a single instrument in a volume. For example, both an Electromagnetic (EM) and Electropotential (EP) navigation system can be used to navigate an instrument within the volume. Image data can also be illustrated relative to a tracked position of the instrument in the volume for navigation.