Surgical Tissue Detection via Optical Signal Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods lack effective means to accurately detect blood vessels during minimally invasive procedures, leading to potential vascular damage and increased costs due to the loss of tactile sensation and direct visualization.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system with a light emitter and an array of light sensors at the distal end of a shaft, utilizing a controller to analyze signals for non-pulsatile components, smooth and differentiate curves to identify regions of interest, and determine the presence and characteristics of vessels without complicating the surgical procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If minimally invasive surgical procedures are used, then patient recovery time and surgical trauma are reduced, but the surgeon loses tactile sensation and direct visualization capability to detect blood vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical tactile sensing system (surgeon's fingers) with an optical detection system. Light sources emit light through tissue, and photodetectors measure light absorption and scattering properties to identify blood vessels, converting mechanical sensation into optical measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces light as an intermediary to transfer information about blood vessels from the surgical field to the surgeon. Light interacts with tissue and blood, carrying information about vessel presence and characteristics that can be detected and processed.
2Reliability
If advanced detection systems are implemented to identify blood vessels, then vascular damage prevention is improved, but device complexity and procedural complication increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system is segmented into distinct functional modules: light sources for illumination, photodetectors for signal acquisition, signal processing circuitry for data analysis, and display/control interfaces for surgeon interaction. This modular approach reduces overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system is designed to perform multiple functions: identifying blood vessel presence, determining vessel depth, measuring blood flow characteristics, and providing real-time feedback. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems.
3Measurement precision
If real-time blood vessel detection is achieved through complex signal processing, then detection accuracy is improved, but computational requirements and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary signal conditioning and filtering at the detector level before data reaches the main processor. Analog filters remove noise components, and signal amplification prepares data for digital processing, reducing the computational burden on the main system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic light modulation and synchronous detection to extract weak vessel signals from background noise. By modulating light at specific frequencies and detecting only at those frequencies, the system achieves high signal-to-noise ratio with minimal processing power.
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 real-time or near-real-time detection of blood vessels, reducing the risk of vascular damage and associated costs by providing accurate and efficient identification without requiring significant surgeon input or preparation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light emitter disposed at a working end of the surgical instrument and an array of light sensors disposed at the working end of the surgical instrument
Implementation Method 2
individual light sensors in the array of light sensors adapted to generate a signal comprising a non-pulsatile component
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical system includes at least one light emitter and an array of light sensors disposed at the working end of the surgical instrument, individual light sensors in the array of light sensors adapted to generate a signal comprising a non-pulsatile component. The system also includes a controller coupled to the array of light sensors, the controller including an analyzer configured to determine a curve of the non-pulsatile components of the signals of each of the individual light sensors in the array of light sensors, smooth the curve, calculate a derivative of the smoothed curve; invert the smoothed curve, calculate a derivative of the inverted smoothed curve, take a difference between the derivatives, smooth the resultant curve, estimate zero crossings of the smoothed, resultant curve, apply a signum function to points adjacent each zero crossing, if any, and identify a region of interest, if any, based on the result.