3D Overlay Rendering for Surgical Depth Perception

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Solution Overview

Problem

During medical procedures, surgeons face challenges with accurately locating positions on three-dimensional patient anatomy, particularly the eye, due to limitations in existing technologies that fail to account for depth, leading to inaccuracies in incision locations and structural identification.

Innovation Solution

A medical system comprising a processor, displays, and memory that determines the positions of iris structures in images, renders and displays two-dimensional overlay images to simulate depth, using a microscope integrated display to provide stereoscopic views that allow surgeons to perceive three-dimensional overlays accurately.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If flat images are used to provide information to the surgeon, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and measurement precision of positions on three-dimensional anatomy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmeasurement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms two-dimensional flat images into three-dimensional visual representations by mapping image coordinates to three-dimensional anatomical structures. The system renders graphics in three-dimensions based on coordinate information from flat images, allowing surgeons to perceive depth and spatial relationships while maintaining the simplicity of two-dimensional image capture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If three-dimensional overlay graphics are rendered based on iris structure positions, then the measurement precision and manufacturing precision improve, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates virtual three-dimensional copies of anatomical structures by mapping coordinates from two-dimensional images to three-dimensional space. Rather than requiring complex three-dimensional scanning hardware, the system generates accurate three-dimensional representations by mathematically transforming image coordinates, reducing device complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary coordinate mapping and three-dimensional reconstruction before the surgical procedure begins. By pre-processing the image data and establishing the three-dimensional coordinate system in advance, the system reduces real-time computational requirements and simplifies the operational complexity during surgery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If flat images are used without depth information, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the reliability of position indication deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system adds the depth dimension to flat images by rendering graphics in three-dimensional space based on anatomical coordinate information. This allows surgeons to maintain the simplicity of two-dimensional image viewing while gaining accurate depth perception and spatial orientation, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4051084B1System and method of utilizing three-dimensional overlays with medical procedures
Publication Date: 2023.11.01 ALCON INC
  • EP4051084B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4051084B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4051084B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

The disclosure provides a system that may: render, based at least on first positions of locations of iris structures of an eye, a first two-dimensional overlay image associated with a three-dimensional image overlay image; display, via a first display, the first two-dimensional overlay image; render, based at least on the first positions and at least on a horizontal offset, a second two-dimensional overlay image associated with the three-dimensional overlay image; display, via a second display, the second two-dimensional overlay image; render, based at least on second positions, a third two-dimensional overlay image associated with the three-dimensional overlay image; display, via the first display, the third two-dimensional overlay image; render, based at least on second positions of locations of the iris structures and at least on the horizontal offset, a fourth two-dimensional overlay image associated with the three-dimensional overlay image; and display, via the second display, the fourth two-dimensional overlay image.