Patterned Incision Foil for Real-Time Anatomical Surface Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the geometry of an anatomical surface during surgical procedures are invasive, require additional equipment, involve radiation exposure, or suffer from accuracy and computational inefficiencies, making them unsuitable for real-time processing.
Innovation Solution
An incision foil with a defined pattern printed on a sterile adhesive plastic film is applied to the patient's skin, and a camera captures the deformed pattern to reconstruct the surface geometry using computer vision, eliminating invasive steps and reducing radiation exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If paired point registration or surface matching using tracked instruments is used, then measurement precision can be improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to invasive procedures and additional equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a printed pattern on the incision foil as a 2D copy representation of the 3D anatomical surface. By capturing images of this 2D pattern and analyzing its deformation, the system reconstructs the 3D surface geometry without requiring complex tracked instruments or invasive procedures. The pattern serves as a simplified copy that encodes surface information through its geometric distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical tracking systems (such as optical trackers or laser scanners) with a camera-based image analysis system. Instead of using complex mechanical instruments to directly measure the surface, the system uses a simple camera to capture images of the patterned foil and computationally reconstructs the geometry through image processing algorithms.
2Measurement precision
If intra-operative registration scan using imaging modalities is used, then measurement precision can be improved, but loss of time and radiation exposure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patterned incision foil is applied to the patient's skin before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary application allows the surface geometry to be captured immediately when the patient is in their actual intra-operative position, eliminating the need for time-consuming intra-operative scanning or registration procedures. The foil is already in place to capture the exact surface geometry needed for navigation.
3Measurement precision
If photogrammetry is used for surface reconstruction, then measurement precision can be improved, but computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex task of 3D surface reconstruction into simpler segments: (1) capturing 2D images of the patterned foil, (2) detecting pattern features and their deformations, and (3) reconstructing surface geometry from the deformation data. This segmentation simplifies the computational process compared to full photogrammetry by focusing only on pattern feature tracking rather than analyzing the entire image field for 3D reconstruction.
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
Provides a precise and efficient method for determining anatomical surface geometry without invasive procedures, reducing equipment needs and computational complexity, suitable for real-time processing.
Implementation Method 1
The incision foil has a first side with an adhesive portion that attaches to the anatomical surface
Implementation Method 2
a camera captures the deformed pattern to reconstruct the surface geometry using computer vision
Data Source
AI summary
An incision foil made of a sterile, thin adhesive plastic film with a defined pattern printed on it (e.g. a fine grid pattern) can be stuck e.g. on a patient's skin surface and which marks the anatomical region of interest. Using a camera, images are acquired of the attached film and the deformation of the pattern is digitized. With a computer vision algorithm the surface of the patient, which corresponds to the surface of the film, is reconstructed from the detected pattern features in the images in comparison to the known original undeformed pattern. A method determines a geometry of the surface of the patient using the incision foil.