3D Endoscope Position Mapping for Vitreous Surgery

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Solution Overview

Problem

In vitreous body surgery, the position of an endoscope inserted in the eyeball is not accurately known, leading to potential interference with treatment instruments and risk of retina damage due to unknown positioning.

Innovation Solution

A surgery assistance device with an arm unit to hold the endoscope, a measuring unit to measure distances, a position determining section to calculate positional relations, and a display control section to generate and update a three-dimensional map image on a monitor, allowing operators to accurately visualize the endoscope's position within the eyeball.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the endoscope is inserted into the eyeball to observe the inside of the eyeball, then the observable range is improved and pressing of the eyeball is eliminated, but the position of the endoscope cannot be accurately known, leading to potential interference with treatment instruments and risk of retina damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobservable rangeVSAvoidposition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a virtual three-dimensional model of the eyeball that replicates its internal structure and spatial relationships. This virtual copy allows the operator to visualize the endoscope's position and the treatment instrument's position relative to each other without physical interference, solving the problem of unknown positioning while maintaining the benefits of endoscopic observation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an image processing device as an intermediary between the physical surgery field and the operator's perception. This device receives images from multiple cameras, processes them to determine three-dimensional positions, and generates a virtual model that mediates the operator's understanding of the complex intraocular spatial relationships, enabling accurate position awareness without direct visual observation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If treatment instruments are inserted into the eyeball simultaneously with the endoscope, then surgical treatment can be performed, but the position of the endoscope and treatment instrument cannot be distinguished, causing potential interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical treatment capabilityVSAvoidpositional relationship information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses color coding to differentiate between the endoscope and treatment instrument in the virtual three-dimensional model. By assigning distinct visual characteristics to each instrument, the operator can easily distinguish their positions and spatial relationships, preventing interference while maintaining full surgical functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional camera images to a three-dimensional virtual model that adds depth perception and spatial context. This dimensional enhancement allows the operator to understand the relative positions of multiple instruments within the confined intraocular space, preventing collisions while enabling simultaneous use of endoscope and treatment instruments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4205628B1Surgery assistance device
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 RIVERFIELD INC
  • EP4205628B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4205628B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4205628B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Display to enable an operator to recognize positional relation between an eyeball and an endoscope is made. A surgery assistance device according to the present invention includes an arm unit having a holder for holding an endoscope, and configured to adjust a position of the endoscope in a state in which the holder holds the endoscope, a measuring unit having fixed relative positional relation to the endoscope held by the holder, and used to measure a distance to a surgery target region of a subject, a position determining section configured to obtain positional relation between the surgery target region of the subject and the endoscope distal end portion on the basis of information from the measuring unit, an image generating section configured to generate a map image indicating the position of the endoscope on a three-dimensional model of the surgery target region by using a determination result of the position determining section, and a display control section configured to perform display control of the map image.