Skin-Based Optical Tracking for Deformation-Aware Surgical Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical navigation systems face errors due to invasively attached trackable devices that can move relative to the patient, leading to navigation inaccuracies and the need for reconfiguration, and flexible devices that deform during procedures, also requiring reconfiguration.
Innovation Solution
A navigation system with a trackable device having moveable tracking points on a flexible substrate that can detect and compensate for deformations, using a computer-implemented tracking system to create a refined model that adjusts for these changes, maintaining navigation accuracy without reconfiguration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid trackable device is invasively attached to the patient using pins or fasteners, then the device remains fixed relative to the patient's body, but this causes additional risks and complications for post-surgical recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pin/fastener fixation system with an adhesive-based attachment system. The trackable device is secured to the patient's skin using adhesive materials rather than invasive mechanical fasteners, thereby eliminating the need for penetrating the skin and reducing post-surgical recovery risks while maintaining fixation stability during the navigation procedure
Solution Approach 2:
The trackable device employs a flexible substrate or thin film structure that can be adhered to the patient's skin surface. This flexible construction allows the device to conform to the skin contour and be securely attached using adhesive without requiring rigid mechanical fasteners, thus reducing invasive harm while maintaining positional stability
2Measurement precision
If a trackable device is securely fastened to prevent movement, then navigation accuracy is maintained, but the device complexity and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes complex mechanical fixation mechanisms with a simpler adhesive attachment system. Instead of using pins, screws, or other mechanical fasteners that require precise installation and adjustment, the device uses adhesive materials that can be applied directly to the skin surface, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining navigation accuracy through stable attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The use of a flexible substrate or thin film as the base for the trackable device simplifies the overall structure. This flexible base can be easily conform ed to the patient's anatomy and secured with adhesive, eliminating the need for complex rigid fixation mechanisms while maintaining the device's positional stability for accurate navigation
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible trackable device is used to reduce invasiveness, then post-surgical recovery is improved, but the device may deform during the procedure requiring reconfiguration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic compensation mechanism that actively monitors and corrects for deformations of the flexible trackable device during the navigation procedure. Sensors or tracking systems detect positional changes in the trackable features, and the navigation software dynamically adjusts the coordinate transformations to compensate for these deformations, thereby maintaining navigation continuity without requiring reconfiguration of the device
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the positions of multiple trackable features on the flexible device are continuously monitored. When deformations occur, the navigation system receives feedback about the new positions of these features and automatically recalculates the transformation matrices to maintain accurate navigation, thus preserving reliability while using a flexible, less invasive device
4Ease of operation
If the trackable device moves relative to the patient during the procedure, then comfort is improved, but navigation errors increase requiring complete re-setting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic compensation that allows the trackable device to move or deform without compromising navigation accuracy. The system continuously tracks the positions of multiple features on the device and automatically adjusts the coordinate transformations in real-time, thereby maintaining measurement precision even when the device shifts relative to the patient, which improves patient comfort
5Measurement precision
If multiple trackable features are used to compensate for deformation, then the device complexity increases, but measurement precision is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible substrate or thin film as the base for the trackable device, which naturally accommodates deformations during the procedure. By distributing multiple trackable features across this flexible base, the system can compensate for local deformations through algorithmic adjustments, maintaining measurement precision without requiring a complex rigid structure with multiple adjustment mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
Navigation system and method for tracking movement of a patient during surgery. Image data is acquired by imaging the patient with a base layer of a skin-based patient tracking apparatus secured to the patient's skin. The skin-based patient tracking apparatus includes a plurality of optical surgical tracking elements. A computer processor arrangement is adapted to implement a navigation routine. The patient position is registered to the image data. The movement of the patient is tracked based on movement of the plurality of optical surgical tracking elements. The movement of the patient's skin is tracked by determining positions of the optical surgical tracking elements both before and after a deformation of the skin-based patient tracking apparatus. Movement of the patient's skin results in corresponding movement of the surgical tracking elements to provide a dynamic reference frame for use in continuously tracking movement of a patient's skin during surgery.