Surgical Navigation Trajectory Planning via 3D Anatomical Reconstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical procedures often face challenges in accessing internal body locations due to the presence of obstacles such as arteries, organs, and bones, which can complicate navigation and increase health risks for patients.
Innovation Solution
A process that utilizes medical images to create a three-dimensional model of the human body, calculates trajectories for surgical access, and determines access zones while considering various obstacles, allowing surgeons to choose the best access points based on anatomical specifics and surgical requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional surgical navigation methods are used, then surgical access can be obtained, but navigation precision is reduced due to obstacles such as arteries, organs, and bones
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary 3D reconstruction of the patient's anatomy using medical images (CT, MRI, ultrasound) to create a detailed digital model before surgery. This pre-operative planning allows identification of optimal access paths that avoid critical structures, enabling precise navigation during surgery while accounting for individual anatomical variations and obstacle locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational system that processes medical images, reconstructs 3D anatomy, and calculates optimal surgical trajectories. This intermediary system acts as a mediator between the surgeon's intent and the physical surgical act, providing real-time guidance that accounts for obstacles without requiring direct visual exposure during the procedure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If precise navigation around obstacles is implemented, then damage to key tissues is minimized, but computational complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the surgical planning process into distinct computational stages: (1) image acquisition and preprocessing, (2) 3D reconstruction of anatomical structures, (3) identification and classification of obstacles, (4) trajectory calculation with clearance constraints, and (5) real-time navigation guidance. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently and facilitates implementation on available computational hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy or digital twin of the patient's anatomy through 3D reconstruction from medical images. This virtual model allows complex computational analysis of multiple potential surgical paths without risk to the actual patient. The optimal trajectory determined in the virtual model is then transferred to guide the physical surgical procedure, reducing computational burden during the actual surgery.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for assisting in the performance of a surgical procedure on a patient is disclosed. The method includes receiving an intra-operative CT scan image, generating a three-dimensional isotropic scaffold based on the intra-operative CT scan image, fusing one or more images with the three-dimensional isotropic scaffold to form a three-dimensional model of a portion of the body of the patient, receiving information regarding the surgical procedure, determining obstacles in the path of the surgical procedure, and determining possible trajectories for the surgical procedure. The received information includes information regarding a surgical target to be operated upon, a region of access on the skin of the patient, and a surgical instrument to be used during the surgical procedure.