Percutaneous Access Alignment Using Sensor-Based Target Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical procedures for percutaneous access, such as nephrolithotomy, are costly and imprecise due to the use of fluoroscopy, which increases radiation exposure and requires skilled technicians, making it difficult to accurately insert medical instruments into target locations within the human anatomy.
Innovation Solution
A medical system utilizing sensor data to determine the orientation and position of medical instruments, generating interface elements to guide precise alignment with target locations, and providing real-time visual feedback to assist physicians in maneuvering instruments safely and accurately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fluoroscopy is used for percutaneous access, then real-time imaging guidance is achieved, but radiation exposure increases and procedural cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fluoroscopy-based imaging system with a sensor-based tracking system that uses electromagnetic fields or other non-ionizing radiation methods to track instrument position and orientation, thereby eliminating harmful ionizing radiation while maintaining real-time guidance capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate sensors and tracking markers that mediate between the medical instrument and the guidance system, allowing position detection without direct fluoroscopic imaging, thus reducing radiation exposure while preserving measurement precision
2Measurement precision
If fluoroscopy and skilled technicians are used, then accurate instrument insertion is achieved, but procedural cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-guiding system where the medical instrument incorporates embedded sensors that automatically track its own position and orientation, eliminating the need for complex external fluoroscopic equipment and highly skilled technicians to provide visual guidance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs real-time feedback mechanisms where sensor data from the medical instrument is continuously processed and displayed to guide instrument insertion, providing automated positional information that reduces dependency on technician expertise and complex imaging equipment
3Ease of operation
If traditional percutaneous access methods are used, then procedural simplicity is maintained, but insertion accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary positioning and orientation determination using sensors before final instrument insertion, allowing the physician to plan the insertion path with high accuracy while maintaining a relatively simple insertion procedure
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for aligning a medical instrument for percutaneous access to a location within the human anatomy can include determining an orientation of the medical instrument, determining a target location within the human anatomy, and determining a plane that includes the target location. Further, the techniques can include determining a projected position of the medical instrument on the plane and generating interface data indicating a distance between the projected position and the target location on the plane.