Surgical Instrument Sensor Tracking for 3D Visualization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Minimally invasive surgical techniques face challenges in accurately navigating surgical instruments within the body cavity due to limited visibility and difficulty in illustrating comprehensive surgical landscapes, hindering surgeon education and technique refinement.

Innovation Solution

A medical system equipped with sensors, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, and barometers, that track the position, orientation, and movement of surgical instruments, correlating data with time and displaying this information on a screen to animate the instrument's movement within a 3D representation of the body cavity, allowing for precise navigation and comparison of procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive surgical techniques are used, then patient trauma is reduced and recovery time is shortened, but the surgeon's ability to visualize and navigate the surgical site is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient traumaVSAvoidsurgeon visualization capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from two-dimensional camera views to three-dimensional anatomical models with superimposed instrument tracking, adding spatial dimensionality to enhance surgeon visualization while maintaining minimally invasive access

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

Solution Approach 2:

A computer-generated three-dimensional model serves as an intermediary representation of the body cavity, allowing surgeons to visualize anatomical structures and instrument positions without directly observing the surgical site through limited camera views

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional clinical education methods are used, then teaching resources are simple and accessible, but the ability to illustrate comprehensive surgical landscapes in real-time is inhibited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveteaching resource accessibilityVSAvoidcomprehensive surgical view
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a virtual copy of the surgical procedure through three-dimensional modeling and instrument tracking, allowing educators to reproduce and analyze comprehensive surgical landscapes without requiring direct real-time observation of the actual procedure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Ease of operation

If only position and orientation data are displayed, then the three-dimensional model provides basic navigation guidance, but precise instrument tracking relative to critical structures is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebasic navigation guidanceVSAvoidinstrument positioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides continuous feedback by tracking instrument position, orientation, and heading data and superimposing it on the three-dimensional model, allowing surgeons to precisely monitor instrument location relative to critical anatomical structures in real-time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Measurement precision

If sensors are added to medical instruments for tracking, then instrument position and orientation can be monitored, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstrument tracking accuracyVSAvoidinstrument structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses universal tracking technology that can be applied to various surgical instruments through standardized sensors, allowing one tracking system to monitor multiple different instrument types without requiring instrument-specific complex modifications

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

Data Source

PatentEP3404664B1Systems and methods of tracking and analyzing use of medical instruments
Publication Date: 2023.01.25 COVIDIEN LP
  • EP3404664B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3404664B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3404664B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for a medical procedure is provided and includes obtaining data from sensors disposed in a medical instrument. The sensors include at least one first sensor configured to measure acceleration, at least one second sensor configured to measure rotation, and at least one third sensor configured to measure direction of movement. The method further includes correlating the data from the sensors with time and storing the correlated data and time. A medical system, a method for imaging a medical procedure, and a method of processing sensor measurements are also disclosed.