Surgical Navigation Unit With Localizer Status Light Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgeons relying on navigation systems for medical instruments face challenges in quickly and reliably determining the functional status of localizers during surgical procedures, as existing systems often require attention diversion from critical tasks by displaying information on monitors, which can be distracting.
Innovation Solution
A navigation unit with integrated operating state indicating light elements that provide visual feedback on localizer functionality, allowing surgeons to assess localizer status without diverting attention from the surgical procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If navigation systems display localizer status information on monitors, then surgeons can obtain information about localizer functionality, but surgeons must divert attention from critical surgical tasks to check the monitor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the localizer status indication function from the monitor display and relocates it to dedicated LED indicators on the navigation unit itself. This allows surgeons to obtain localizer status information directly at the navigation unit without needing to divert attention to a separate monitor, thus resolving the contradiction between information availability and attention focus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces LED indicators as an intermediary element between the navigation system's internal state and the surgeon. These LEDs provide immediate visual feedback about localizer status at the navigation unit, serving as a mediator that conveys information without requiring the surgeon to shift focus to a monitor display.
2Reliability
If surgeons divert attention to monitors to check localizer status, then they can verify localizer functionality, but this diverts attention from critical surgical tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the status verification function from the monitor and places it directly on the navigation unit through LED indicators. This allows surgeons to verify localizer status immediately at the navigation unit without time loss from diverting attention to a monitor, resolving the contradiction between verification reliability and time loss.
3Loss of information
If navigation systems provide detailed status information on monitors, then surgeons can assess localizer functionality, but this requires sustained attention to the monitor which distracts from surgical procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential localizer status information and presents it through simple LED indicators on the navigation unit rather than requiring complex monitor displays. This provides sufficient information for surgeons to assess localizer functionality without the complexity of sustained monitor attention, resolving the contradiction between information provision and system complexity.
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
Enables surgeons to quickly and reliably verify localizer functionality through visual cues, ensuring accurate instrument positioning without distracting from critical surgical tasks.
Implementation Method 1
at least one operating state indicating light element connected to the control unit and integrated in one of the housing walls such that light emitted from the operating state indicating light element is visible from outside the housing
Implementation Method 2
A localizer to be connected to the localizer input port can be configured for capturing an electromagnetic navigation field (when exposed to such navigation field) and for providing a localizer signal accordingly
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a navigation unit (100) that is configured for assisting a surgeon in navigating a medical instrument equipped with a localizer. The navigation unit comprises a housing (102), at least one localizer input port (104, 106), a position detection unit (108), a state determination unit (110), a control unit (112) and at least one operating state indicating light element (114, 116). The at least one localizer input port is integrated in one of the housing walls to be accessible from outside the housing. The at least one localizer input port configured for receiving a localizer signal provided by a localizer operatively connected to the localizer input port. The at least one operating state indicating light element is connected to the control unit and integrated in one of the housing walls such that light emitted from the operating state indicating light element is visible from outside the housing. The housing accommodates at least the position detection unit, the state determination unit and the control unit. The position detection unit is connected to the localizer input port for receiving a localizer signal and configured for processing the received localizer signal in order to determine position and orientation of the localizer. The state determination unit is connected to the position detection unit and configured at least for determining a localizer operating state of a connected localizer based on whether or not the position detection unit has received a localizer signal and whether or not the position detection unit has determined position and orientation of the localizer from a received localizer signal. The control unit is connected to the state determination unit and configured for controlling the at least one operating state indicating light element at least based on the determined localizer operating state determined by the state determination unit. The at least one operating state indicating light element is configured at least to visually indicate one of a plurality of localizer operating states. The at least one operating state indicating light element can be controlled by the control unit to visually indicate that localizer operating state that has been determined by the state determination unit.