Steerable Medical Device Path Following with Dynamic Waypoints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical device path-planning methods require pre-planning before use, which may not account for real-time adjustments needed during insertion or retraction of steerable medical devices, potentially leading to unsafe paths within a patient's anatomy.
Innovation Solution
Storing waypoints as the steerable medical device is moved within a patient and constraining the articulatable portion to follow a safe path defined by these waypoints, using a boundary region to ensure the device remains within a safe volume, with position and orientation data generated to minimize a cost function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If pre-planning path before use is performed, then path planning is completed in advance, but real-time adjustments during insertion or retraction cannot be accounted for
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary path planning using medical imaging data before device insertion, establishing an initial safe path. This preliminary action is then combined with real-time waypoint storage during actual device movement, allowing the system to have both advance preparation and real-time adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by storing waypoints as the device is moved within the patient and using this real-time data to adjust and refine the path. The controller continuously monitors device position and updates the safe path definition based on actual device movement, ensuring path safety accounts for real-time conditions.
2Reliability
If the articulatable portion is constrained to follow a safe path, then device safety is improved, but device flexibility and adaptability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary region enclosing the safe path is defined dynamically based on the device's kinematic model and segment configurations. As the device moves and its segments articulate, the boundary region adapts to maintain appropriate safety margins while allowing the device flexibility within those bounds. The controller adjusts constraints in real-time based on actual device position and orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different levels of constraint to different parts of the device. The articulatable portion is constrained to remain within the boundary region, while other portions of the device may have different degrees of freedom. This localized constraint approach maintains safety where needed while preserving device flexibility elsewhere.
Data Source
AI summary
A method may comprise storing a first waypoint corresponding to a first position of a tip of a steerable medical device including an articulatable segment. The controller may perform a motion pause check operation to determine that an insertion motion of the articulatable segment into a patient anatomy has been paused, while the tip is at a second position. The controller may determine that the articulatable segment has resumed the insertion motion into the patient anatomy. After determining that the articulatable segment has resumed the insertion motion, a second waypoint corresponding to the second position of the tip of the steerable medical device, may be stored. A boundary region may be defined to form a three-dimensional volume enclosing the positions of the stored waypoints. The articulatable segment may be constrained to remain within the boundary region as the articulatable segment is inserted in the patient anatomy.