Wireless Surgical Instrument Pairing for Seamless Navigation Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigated-assisted surgery systems face inefficiencies in transitioning between hand-held surgical tools, requiring manual interaction to ensure correct instrument tracking, and lack integration with legacy instruments for real-time control and navigation.
Innovation Solution
A navigation-assisted surgery system that includes a display unit, user interface, memory unit, and navigation controller, which wirelessly associates and controls multiple surgical instruments through a localizer, power source, and navigation array, allowing seamless instrument switching and real-time position/orientation tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual interaction is required to ensure correct instrument tracking during transitions, then tracking accuracy is maintained, but operational efficiency and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument automatically performs identification and tracking registration through its identification module and communication module, eliminating the need for manual surgeon interaction. The instrument self-registers with the navigation system by transmitting identification signals that contain unique configuration data, allowing the system to automatically recognize and track the correct instrument during transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
Each surgical instrument is pre-configured with unique identification information embedded in its identification module before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary encoding of instrument characteristics (such as drill bit diameter, drill bit length, or other end effector properties) allows the navigation system to instantly recognize and register the instrument upon entry into the surgical field, eliminating the need for manual registration during instrument transitions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If each surgical instrument includes advanced electronics for independent registration and control, then navigation integration and control capability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification and communication functionality from the main surgical instrument body and places it in a separate, removable identification module. This module contains only the essential electronics needed for navigation system communication (identification signals, communication protocol), while the main surgical instrument remains relatively simple. The identification module can be easily attached to or removed from the instrument, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The identification module serves multiple functions: it provides unique instrument identification, transmits instrument configuration data (drill bit specifications), enables communication with the navigation system, and facilitates automatic registration. This multi-functional component eliminates the need for separate systems for each of these tasks, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining navigation integration capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple hand-held surgical tools are present in the sterile field, then surgical versatility is improved, but instrument transition efficiency and tracking reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Each surgical instrument is equipped with a unique identification signal configuration that creates an asymmetric, distinguishable signature. The identification module encodes specific instrument characteristics (such as drill bit diameter, length, or other end effector properties) in a unique pattern, allowing the navigation system to clearly differentiate between multiple instruments even when they are simultaneously present in the surgical field, ensuring reliable tracking of the correct instrument.
4Ease of operation
If instrument switching requires user interface interaction, then control precision is maintained, but time consumption and productivity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument automatically performs identification and tracking registration through its identification module and communication module, eliminating the need for manual surgeon interaction. The instrument self-registers with the navigation system by transmitting identification signals that contain unique configuration data, allowing the system to automatically recognize and track the correct instrument during transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication module enables bidirectional communication between the surgical instrument and the navigation system. The instrument transmits identification signals containing unique configuration data, and the navigation system provides feedback by recognizing and registering the instrument. This automated feedback loop eliminates manual verification steps and ensures rapid, accurate instrument transitions.
Data Source
AI summary
A navigation-assisted system for wirelessly controlling more than one hand-held surgical instrument is provided. The system includes a hand-held surgical instrument including an instrument processor and a control system configured to transmit a broadcast signal including a pairing identifier and a control signal including a control identifier wirelessly to the hand-held surgical instrument. The instrument processor is configured to receive the broadcast signal and the control signal, determine whether the control identifier corresponds to the pairing identifier; and control a parameter of the hand-held surgical instrument in response to determining that the control identifier corresponds to the pairing identifier.