Navigated Surgical Instrument Tracking Coil Flexible Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigated surgical instruments face challenges with cumbersome tracking devices, particularly those containing tracking coils, which are difficult to position accurately and can induce electrical noise, making them expensive to form and hard to couple with navigation systems effectively.
Innovation Solution
A navigated surgical instrument featuring a tracking device with a flexible circuit that includes navigation coils positioned near the distal end, allowing for accurate tracking of the instrument tip and reducing electrical noise through twisted pairs of lead traces, which are formed at an acute angle relative to the instrument's longitudinal axis, facilitating easier electronic coupling with navigation systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional tracking coils are used in navigated surgical instruments, then tracking functionality is achieved, but the tracking device becomes cumbersome and difficult to manipulate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the tracking coil structure with the instrument shaft by forming the coil directly on the shaft surface, eliminating separate tracking device components. This integration maintains tracking accuracy while significantly improving manipulability since the tracking functionality becomes inherent to the instrument itself rather than an附加 component.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument shaft serves multiple functions: it acts as both the surgical tool and the tracking device substrate. The shaft structure is designed to simultaneously perform surgical operations and provide the form factor for navigation tracking, reducing the need for separate dedicated tracking components and improving overall ease of operation.
2Measurement precision
If tracking coils are positioned at the distal tip for accurate tracking, then tracking precision is improved, but the coils become difficult to position and couple with the navigation system
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking coil is pre-formed as an integral part of the instrument shaft during manufacturing, with leads extending proximally along the shaft. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for complex post-assembly coupling operations at the distal tip, making the navigation system integration straightforward while maintaining precise tracking capability at the distal end.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces lead traces that extend from the distal tracking coil location back to the proximal handle region. These leads act as intermediaries, carrying electrical signals from the distal tip tracking coil to the navigation system interface, thereby simplifying the coupling process while preserving tracking precision at the distal end.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If twisted pairs of leads are used to reduce electrical noise, then electrical interference is minimized, but the construction complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple lead functions into a single integrated flexible circuit board structure. Rather than using separate twisted pair wires for each signal, the flexible circuit integrates multiple signal paths, power connections, and ground references in a unified planar structure that inherently provides noise immunity while reducing overall construction complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical twisted pair wiring with an electronic flexible circuit board solution. The flexible circuit uses printed conductive traces on a flexible substrate, eliminating the need for physical twisting of wire pairs while achieving equivalent or superior noise reduction through controlled impedance design and ground shielding patterns.
4Reliability
If tracking coils and leads are made larger for better signal coupling, then electronic coupling with navigation system is improved, but the instrument size and manipulation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible circuit board with thin-film conductive traces to create the tracking coil structure. This thin-film approach allows the coil to have sufficient electrical characteristics for good navigation coupling while maintaining a compact form factor that does not increase overall instrument size. The flexible nature allows the circuit to conform to the shaft surface without adding significant bulk.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables precise tracking of the surgical instrument's distal tip while minimizing electrical interference, improving the accuracy and efficiency of navigation systems and reducing the complexity and cost of instrument construction.
Implementation Method 1
The tracking device has an elongated tubular substrate having an exterior surface and a longitudinal axis. The tracking device has a first electrical trace defining a first coil, the first coil configured to interact with the navigation system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical instrument can include a body, a tracking device, and a handle. The tracking device can be positioned adjacent the distal end for tracking a distal tip of the instrument. The tracking device can include a pair of lead traces defined on a tubular flex circuit around the body to the handle, where the traces define at least on coil configured to communicate with a navigation system.