Laparoscopic Instrument Safety System with Virtual Safe Zone
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laparoscopic surgery often results in unintentional injuries to patient tissue structures due to the hidden nature of injury sites and delayed responses, leading to traumatic and unnecessary further surgeries, posing significant medical and legal implications.
Innovation Solution
A system that defines a three-dimensional surgical field using sensors and imaging technologies to track and monitor the position of laparoscopic instruments relative to vulnerable tissues, automatically attenuating or disabling hazardous functions when outside the safe zone, and providing real-time feedback to surgeons to prevent accidental damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If laparoscopic instruments are used to perform surgical functions (cutting, cauterizing, etc.), then surgical procedures can be performed, but unintentional injuries to adjacent tissues may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the position of the functional element relative to the safe zone using sensors and imaging technologies, providing real-time feedback to the controller. When the functional element approaches or enters a dangerous zone, the system immediately alerts the surgeon and can automatically disable the hazardous function, preventing tissue injury while allowing normal surgical operations to proceed efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
A safe zone is established as an intermediary protective barrier between the functional element (blade, heated element, etc.) and vulnerable tissues. This virtual safe zone acts as a mediator that allows the surgical instrument to operate freely within designated areas while preventing contact with protected structures, thus enabling surgical productivity without compromising patient safety
2Adaptability or versatility
If the surgical field is expanded to allow instrument movement, then surgical flexibility is improved, but the risk of contacting vulnerable tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different spatial qualities to different regions of the surgical field by defining a safe zone with specific boundaries. Within this zone, instruments have full freedom of movement, while outside the zone, protective measures are activated. This local differentiation allows high instrument adaptability within the safe zone while maintaining protection in vulnerable areas
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a spatial dimension layer (the safe zone boundary) overlaying the three-dimensional surgical field. This additional dimensional constraint allows instruments to move freely in three dimensions within the safe zone while the fourth dimension (the virtual boundary) prevents penetration into dangerous zones, thus maintaining versatility without increasing injury risk
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring of instrument position is implemented, then patient safety is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multi-functional components that serve multiple purposes: sensors not only detect instrument position but also define the safe zone boundaries; the imaging system provides both visualization for the surgeon and data for the safety monitoring algorithm; the controller integrates both surgical instrument control and safety monitoring functions. This universality reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to be self-monitoring and self-protecting. The sensors automatically detect instrument position, the controller autonomously determines whether the instrument is within the safe zone, and the system automatically disables hazardous functions when threats are detected, without requiring constant surgeon intervention. This self-service capability enhances patient safety while minimizing the complexity of human-machine interaction
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
The system significantly reduces the likelihood of inadvertent tissue damage by creating a protected space around vulnerable organs, enhancing patient safety and reducing morbidity during laparoscopic procedures.
Implementation Method 1
electromagnetic sensing, radio frequency (RF) sensing
Implementation Method 2
radio frequency (RF) sensing
Implementation Method 3
infrared (IR) imaging
Implementation Method 4
detect when the probing portion is in contact with the safe zone definition sensor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2d
Figure 2e
AI summary
This group of inventions provides means and methods for preventing the damaging portions of surgical tools, such as laparoscopic devices, from adversely contacting tissues and organs that are not in the desired field of surgery. As such, the present disclosure pertains to any form of a warning or positioning device or methods, including those that are facilitated via software that are adapted and arranged for use in tracking portions of surgical instruments during laparoscopic surgery or other medical procedures. Such systems include those that are adapted and arranged to provide a warning to the surgeon or other medical personnel regarding the positional status of an instrument, and those that are adapted and arranged for disabling or attenuating the portions of those instruments that might be dangerous to a patient when a dangerous portion of the instrument is near or outside the desired, or denominated, field of surgery. Data relating to the position and orientation of the instrument and of the position of a safe zone within which the instrument can be kept safely is optionally (preferably) stored throughout a medical procedure for later playback for training purposes or for ensuring that a patient was not injured during a medical procedure.