Surgical Hub Control for Real-Time Analytics and Tool Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical systems lack integrated solutions for efficient data handling, real-time analytics, and secure communication within operating theaters, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors during surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented interactive surgical system that includes a surgical hub connected to a cloud-based network for data analytics, secure communication, and real-time data processing, enabling seamless integration of surgical instruments and providing situational awareness, data prioritization, and automated tool adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If surgical systems use integrated data handling and real-time analytics, then surgical efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A surgical hub acts as an intermediary device that centralizes data handling, analytics processing, and communication coordination. The hub receives data from multiple surgical instruments, performs real-time analytics, and distributes processed information to appropriate systems, thereby improving surgical efficiency while containing complexity in a dedicated central unit rather than distributing it across all components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The surgical hub is designed as a multi-functional platform that performs data collection, real-time analytics, secure communication management, situational awareness, and automated tool adjustments simultaneously. This universal device consolidates multiple functions into a single system, improving overall surgical workflow efficiency while managing complexity through integration rather than proliferation of separate systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If surgical systems implement secure communication and real-time analytics, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication securityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical hub serves as a secure intermediary that manages all communication protocols and data transmission between surgical instruments and external systems. It implements encryption, authentication, and data validation mechanisms centrally, ensuring reliable and secure communication without requiring complex security implementations in each individual instrument.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If surgical systems provide real-time data processing and automated adjustments, then productivity is improved, but loss of information increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical efficiencyVSAvoiddata accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical hub implements continuous feedback loops where real-time data from surgical instruments is processed, analyzed, and used to provide automated adjustments back to the instruments. The system monitors data quality, validates information integrity, and maintains feedback channels to ensure that automated adjustments are based on accurate information, thereby improving productivity while minimizing information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12062442B2Method for operating surgical instrument systems
Publication Date: 2024.08.13 CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
  • US12062442B2 patent drawing
  • US12062442B2 patent drawing
  • US12062442B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed.