Optical Targeting Lines for Real-Time Surgical Trajectory Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image guidance systems for medical procedures are limited by the need for rigid fixation of the patient, lengthy setup times, and lack of real-time visualization, making them unsuitable for emergency situations and inaccessible to smaller healthcare facilities, and practitioners often rely on crude landmarks or screen-based guidance, exposing them to radiation and reducing procedural accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A targeting system using two non-parallel lasers that project intersecting light planes to visualize trajectories, allowing direct visualization on the patient's anatomy without rigid fixation, and can be integrated with imaging devices for enhanced guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If rigid fixation and lengthy setup procedures are used to ensure accurate trajectory visualization, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical fixation systems with a simplified optical system using lasers and mirrors. The laser alignment system uses optical reflections and intersections to define trajectories without requiring rigid mechanical fixation of the patient, thereby reducing setup time while maintaining trajectory visualization accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates visual copies of the surgical trajectory using laser light planes that intersect to form a visible pathway. This optical copying allows practitioners to see the exact trajectory without complex mechanical guides, reducing both setup time and device complexity while maintaining precision.
2Measurement precision
If rigid fixation and comprehensive image guidance systems are used to ensure accurate trajectory visualization, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical fixation and guidance systems with a simpler optical system using lasers, mirrors, and light plane intersections. This substitution maintains trajectory accuracy while significantly reducing device complexity and making the system accessible to smaller healthcare facilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential function of trajectory visualization from complex image guidance systems, implementing it through a focused laser alignment system. By taking out only the necessary components (lasers, mirrors, light planes) and removing unnecessary complexity, the system achieves precision with simpler architecture.
3Measurement precision
If practitioners use screen-based guidance systems to visualize trajectories, then measurement precision is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to radiation exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces screen-based digital guidance systems with a direct optical visualization system using laser light planes. This substitution eliminates the need for practitioners to view trajectories on screens and reduces reliance on imaging modalities that require radiation, thereby reducing harmful exposure while maintaining guidance accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces laser light planes as an intermediary that directly visualizes the trajectory in physical space. This intermediary allows practitioners to see the surgical pathway without using radiation-based imaging systems, eliminating the harmful effect while maintaining precision through optical rather than radiological means.
4Measurement precision
If comprehensive image guidance systems with rigid fixation are used to ensure accurate trajectory visualization, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation worsens due to patient positioning constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid mechanical fixation systems with a flexible optical laser alignment system. This substitution allows the patient to be positioned more easily without complex fixation devices, improving ease of operation while maintaining trajectory visualization accuracy through optical rather than mechanical means.
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
Enables precise, real-time visualization of surgical trajectories directly on the patient, reducing setup time and radiation exposure, and facilitating accurate procedures in emergency and resource-constrained settings.
Implementation Method 1
A laser is used to project a beam of light along a desired surgical trajectory
Data Source
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AI summary
Enhanced targeting systems and methods may be used to visualize trajectories for surgical instruments. Such a targeting system may have a first light source and a second light source. The first light source may project first light along a first plane, and the second light source may project second light along a second plane nonparallel to the first plane. At an intersection of the first and second planes, the first light and the second light may cooperate to produce a targeting line that indicates the desired trajectory. An image capture system may also be used to capture image data of anatomical features of a patient at one or more locations in space, and a controller may receive the image data and indicate the trajectory relative to the anatomical features of the patient.