Surgical Navigation System for Spinal Tissue Cavity Volume Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods for treating spinal disorders, such as degenerative disc disease and osteoporosis, face challenges in accurately determining the volume of tissue cavities and selecting appropriate implants, which can lead to inadequate treatment and potential tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system that employs a surgical navigation system with a surgical instrument equipped with an image guide and a processor to track the movement of the instrument within the tissue cavity, generating data for real-time display and calculation of the cavity volume, allowing for precise determination of implant size and configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional surgical methods are used without navigation systems, then the surgical procedure is simpler and faster to perform, but the precision in determining tissue cavity volume and implant selection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical measurement methods with an optical-based surgical navigation system. The system uses optical trackers, cameras, and computer processing to detect and calculate tissue cavity volume, substituting manual mechanical measurement tools with an automated optical-mechanical-computational system that provides superior measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical navigation system creates a virtual copy or digital representation of the surgical site by tracking the surgical instrument's position and the tissue cavity geometry. This virtual model allows for precise volume calculation and implant selection without physically measuring the cavity, thereby improving measurement accuracy while reducing the need for complex physical measurement devices.
2Reliability
If implant selection is based on estimated cavity volume without precise measurement, then the surgical procedure is faster, but inadequate treatment and potential tissue damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical navigation system performs volume measurement and implant selection calculations before the actual implantation procedure. By pre-determining the accurate cavity volume and selecting the appropriate implant size in advance, the system ensures reliable treatment outcomes while minimizing the time required during the critical implantation phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system provides real-time feedback on the surgical instrument's position relative to the tissue cavity and calculates volume measurements dynamically. This feedback mechanism allows the surgeon to verify measurements and adjust implant selection accordingly, ensuring treatment reliability while the automated calculations minimize additional time requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for treating a spine comprises the steps of: inserting a surgical instrument into a tissue cavity, the surgical instrument including an image guide oriented relative to a sensor to communicate a signal representative of a position of the surgical instrument relative to the tissue cavity; displaying a selected configuration with a distal end of the surgical instrument in the tissue cavity; tracking movement of the selected configuration in the tissue cavity with a tracking device that communicates with a processor to generate data for display of the movement; and determining a volume of the tissue cavity based on the data. Systems, spinal constructs, implants and surgical instruments are disclosed.