Motion-Compensated Surgical Tool with OCT Depth Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hand-held surgical blades face challenges in achieving precise micro-manipulation due to human limitations such as physiological hand tremor and lack of tactile feedback, leading to difficulties in maintaining accurate control, especially in microsurgical procedures like retinal surgery, where high precision and stability are crucial to avoid tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A motion-compensated cutting system integrated with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and a control unit that compensates for relative motion between the tool body and the reference surface, allowing for precise control of the cutting implement's position and depth, using an actuator and position sensor to maintain a predetermined depth and adjust for involuntary movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hand-held surgical blade is used for microsurgery, then ease of operation and accessibility to tight spaces is improved, but control precision and stability deteriorate due to hand tremor and physiological motion
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates real-time feedback through OCT imaging and position sensing to detect tissue location and blade position, providing continuous information to the control system that adjusts for hand tremor and physiological motion, thereby maintaining control precision while preserving hand-held operability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces pure mechanical control with an integrated system combining OCT imaging, position sensing, and automated control algorithms that compensate for physiological motions, substituting manual precision requirements with sensor-based measurement and active correction
2Reliability
If hand-held instrument is used, then safety and ease of override in case of malfunction is improved, but measurement precision and control accuracy deteriorate due to lack of proximity sensing
Solution Approach 1:
The hand-held instrument integrates multiple functions including OCT imaging, position sensing, and cutting capabilities into a single device, providing both safety through ease of removal and precise measurement through integrated sensors and imaging
3Manufacturing precision
If motion compensation is added to hand-held surgical blade, then control precision and stability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges OCT imaging, position sensing, and motion compensation control into an integrated hand-held device, combining multiple functions that would traditionally be separate systems into a unified instrument
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 enables high-precision cutting with reduced hand tremor impact, ensuring consistent depth and accuracy during microsurgical procedures, thereby enhancing surgical safety and effectiveness by minimizing tissue damage and improving surgical outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
The controller 128 can determine a position of the distal end 205 of the tool element 204 with respect to the subject 126 by receiving a signal from an optical coherence tomography system 110
Implementation Method 2
The control unit is also able to control the actuator to move the cutting implement to compensate for relative motion between the tool body and the reference surface at least during a cutting operation
Implementation Method 3
The control unit is further able to maintain a predetermined depth of the distal end of the cutting implement with respect to the reference surface during the cutting operation
Data Source
AI summary
A motion-compensated cutting system includes a hand-held tool body, and an actuator connected to the tool body. A shaft of the actuator is movable relative to the tool body so that a distal end of a cutting implement attached to the shaft is axially movable relative to the tool body. An optical coherence tomography system includes an optical fiber with a distal end fixed relative to the distal end of the cutting implement. The system includes a control unit that can determine a position of the distal end of the cutting implement relative to a reference surface based on input from the optical coherence tomography system. The control unit can control the cutting implement to compensate for relative motion between the tool body and the reference surface, and can maintain a predetermined depth of the distal end of the cutting implement with respect to the reference surface.