Robotic Surgical Instrument Envelope Overlay Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
During robotic surgery, there is a risk of inadvertently damaging organs and tissues due to the uncertainty in instrument positioning and limited workspace visibility within the body cavity, as current methods rely on educated guesses and may not accurately depict the instrument's extent and clearance from sensitive anatomy.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a processor circuit to receive and process body cavity image data, determine instrument parameters, and generate a composite view displaying the instrument's envelope of movement, including an overlay image to represent its physical reach, thereby providing visual cues for safe insertion and positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If instruments are inserted into the body cavity based on educated guesses without accurate visualization, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the risk of inadvertently damaging organs and tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary visualization by displaying the instrument envelope before actual instrument insertion. The processor determines the instrument envelope based on instrument parameters and displays it overlaid on the body cavity image, allowing the surgeon to plan and verify the insertion path in advance, thereby preventing potential tissue damage before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument envelope serves as an intermediary visual representation between the physical instrument and the surgeon's decision-making process. This virtual model provides real-time feedback about the instrument's projected position and reach, mediating the interaction between the surgeon's intent and the actual instrument insertion, thus enhancing surgical safety.
2Loss of information
If the camera is positioned to provide views of the surgical site, then the surgeon can visualize the anatomy, but it remains unclear how far the instruments will extend into the body cavity
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds a dimensional representation by overlaying the instrument envelope on the two-dimensional camera image. This envelope extends visually into the depth dimension of the body cavity, allowing the surgeon to perceive instrument reach and extent in three dimensions while viewing the two-dimensional camera feed, thus resolving the depth estimation problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy or representation of the instrument's projected position and extent (the instrument envelope) and displays it alongside the actual camera view. This copy provides accurate depth and reach information without requiring physical insertion of the instrument, enabling precise depth estimation before actual insertion occurs.
3Ease of operation
If the camera and instruments are positioned without predictive visualization, then the surgical procedure can proceed, but the surgical workspace may be less than optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables preliminary positioning optimization by displaying the instrument envelope before actual instrument insertion. The surgeon can use this visual information to adjust camera and instrument positions in advance, ensuring optimal workspace configuration before the procedure begins, rather than making adjustments based on trial and error during surgery.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for insertion of an instrument into a body cavity of an animal for performing a surgical procedure using a processor circuit controlled robotic surgery system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method involves receiving body cavity image data representing an interior view of the body cavity captured by a camera inserted into the body cavity, determining, by the processor circuit, instrument parameters associated with physical extents of the instrument to be inserted, determining, by the processor circuit, an instrument envelope identifying a region through which the instrument is capable of moving in the body cavity, and generating, by the processor circuit, display signals operable to display a composite view of the interior of the body cavity on a display, the composite view being based on the body cavity image data and including an envelope overlay image generated to represent the instrument envelope.