Computer-Guided Orthopedic Surgery Without Optical Markers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computer-guided surgery systems rely on optical markers or ionizing radiation for tracking surgical instruments, which are cumbersome, expensive, and pose health risks, and are not robust to occlusions, increasing procedure time and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses a kinematic chain with sensors to align planned surgical actions from a virtual environment to a real environment, eliminating the need for optical markers and ionizing radiation by tracking the spatial configuration of surgical tools in real-time through 3D imaging and transformations, allowing precise alignment without occlusion issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical markers are used for tracking surgical instruments, then real-time position tracking is achieved, but the system becomes cumbersome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the optical markers and complex optical tracking systems from the surgical navigation system. Instead of using external markers attached to instruments and bones, the system uses the surgical instrument itself as the tracking target through its interaction with pre-acquired 3D images of the patient's anatomy, thereby removing the cumbersome marker placement and tracking infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the patient's anatomy through pre-operative 3D imaging (CT or MRI scans). This digital model serves as a virtual reference that can be processed and compared with real-time instrument positions without requiring physical markers. The system copies anatomical features into a digital environment where tracking computations can be performed efficiently
2Reliability
If optical markers are used for tracking, then real-time navigation is possible, but occlusions reduce robustness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D optical marker tracking to 3D volumetric image-based tracking. By using pre-acquired 3D images of the patient's anatomy and processing them in three dimensions, the system can track instrument positions through occluding tissues and structures that would block optical lines of sight. The volumetric nature of the data allows tracking from multiple virtual angles simultaneously
3Loss of information
If ionizing radiation is used for intraoperative imaging, then real-time visualization is achieved, but health risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the imaging action in advance, before the surgical procedure begins. High-quality 3D images (CT or MRI scans) are acquired pre-operatively when no radiation concerns exist during the actual surgery. These pre-acquired images serve as the reference framework for the entire surgical navigation process, eliminating the need for repeated intraoperative ionizing radiation exposure
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a permanent digital copy of the patient's anatomy through pre-operative imaging. This digital model can be repeatedly referenced, processed, and compared with real-time instrument positions without requiring additional ionizing radiation exposure during surgery. The same volumetric data serves multiple purposes throughout the procedure
4Measurement precision
If markers are placed on bone and instruments, then tracking accuracy is improved, but procedure time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the time-consuming marker placement step from the surgical workflow. Without the need to attach optical markers to bones and instruments, the surgical team can proceed directly to the surgical procedure. The system achieves tracking by processing pre-acquired 3D images and comparing them with real-time instrument positions, eliminating the preparatory marker application time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs the complex imaging and model creation work in advance, before surgery begins. The 3D images are acquired and processed into navigable digital models pre-operatively, so that during the actual surgical procedure, only simple real-time position comparisons are needed. This shifts the time investment to the preoperative phase when the patient is already imaged for other surgical planning purposes
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method and a system for computer guided surgery, which include a transposition of an action, planned in a virtual environment with respect to a virtual referential RP, to a physical action performed with a surgical tool in a real operating theatre environment for orthopedic surgery of a patient.