Surgical Path Visualization with Critical Segment Highlighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical planning systems fail to provide real-time visualization of critical anatomical structures during surgery, making it difficult for surgeons to avoid damaging important structures, especially in complex 3D geometries, and do not account for surgical tool restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A method that receives anatomical and geometric information, defines safety margins and tool restrictions, and provides a graphical representation of the surgical path, highlighting critical and restricted segments to alert the surgeon of potential risks and limitations, allowing for informed decision-making during both planning and execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the surgical path is planned to avoid intersecting important anatomical structures, then the safety of the surgery is improved, but the surgeon cannot easily identify segments that come very close to critical structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color coding to different segments of the surgical path based on their proximity to critical anatomical structures. Safe segments are displayed in one color (e.g., green), while critical segments that come within a safety margin of critical structures are displayed in another color (e.g., red or yellow). This visual differentiation allows surgeons to immediately identify which path segments require caution, resolving the information visibility problem while maintaining the safety-oriented path planning.
2Loss of time
If the surgical path is optimized for direct access to the target, then the surgery time is reduced, but the risk of coming close to critical structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback to the surgeon by visually indicating critical segments along the surgical path. As the surgeon plans or executes the surgery, the system continuously monitors the distance between the surgical tool and critical anatomical structures, highlighting segments that come within the safety margin. This feedback mechanism allows the surgeon to adjust the path in real-time to balance surgical efficiency with patient safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the surgical path before the actual surgery begins, identifying and marking critical segments in advance. By pre-calculating which segments will come close to critical structures and displaying them with special visual indicators, the surgeon can plan alternative routes or prepare appropriate precautions before entering the critical zone, thereby preventing potential damage while maintaining surgical efficiency.
3Reliability
If detailed anatomical information is displayed to help the surgeon avoid critical structures, then the surgical safety is improved, but the complexity of the visualization system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and highlights only the critical information needed for surgical safety - specifically, the segments of the surgical path that come within the safety margin of critical anatomical structures. Instead of displaying all anatomical details, the system selectively extracts and emphasizes the critical path segments using color coding and visual indicators, thereby maintaining surgical safety while avoiding information overload and system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system are provided for visualizing a surgical path for a surgical tool. The method comprises a step of receiving anatomical information about a position of at least one anatomical structure in a region to undergo surgery, geometric information describing the surgical path and at least one safety margin defining a minimal distance between the surgical tool and the anatomical structure. The method further comprises defining a critical segment of the surgical path, in which critical segment a distance to the anatomical structure is smaller than the safety margin. Then a graphical representation of the surgical path is provided, wherein the critical segment is highlighted.