Surgical Trajectory Visualization With Orientation-Only Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical navigation systems for orthopedic procedures are cumbersome, costly, and prone to inaccuracies due to the need for optical or electromagnetic tracking, which can be time-consuming and require manual registration, leading to improper screw placement and additional bone damage during ORIF procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system utilizing a trajectory tracking system that tracks the real-time orientation of a surgical handpiece assembly without traditional position tracking, combined with a depth measurement attachment and a reference device with radiopaque markers, enabling precise alignment and placement of surgical instruments relative to the bone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional optical or electromagnetic tracking systems are used for surgical navigation, then real-time tracking capability is achieved, but system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential tracking function from complex optical/electromagnetic systems by using only simple radiopaque markers visible on standard fluoroscopic images. This eliminates the need for sophisticated tracking cameras and electromagnetic field generators, achieving accurate tracking through image registration alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the surgical instrument and bone anatomy based on preoperative imaging and intraoperative fluoroscopic images. This virtual model is then overlaid on real-time fluoroscopic images to provide navigation guidance without requiring physical tracking markers or complex sensing systems
2Ease of operation
If manual registration is performed for coordinate system alignment, then system setup is simplified, but registration accuracy and time consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses fluoroscopic images as feedback to verify and refine the registration between the virtual model and actual anatomy. The radiopaque markers provide reference points that allow automatic calculation of transformation matrices, ensuring accurate coordinate system alignment while reducing manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical registration procedures with automated image-based registration. Software algorithms automatically calculate the transformation between coordinate systems by detecting radiopaque markers and matching anatomical landmarks on fluoroscopic images, eliminating the need for manual manipulation of registration tools
3Loss of information
If traditional position tracking is used for surgical instrument navigation, then instrument location is monitored, but setup time and procedural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the navigation problem into two independent parts: (1) establishing the coordinate transformation through image registration, and (2) calculating instrument position from sensor data. This allows the system to avoid time-consuming continuous position tracking setup by using orientation sensors that provide direct orientation information without requiring complex calibration procedures
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of tracking instrument position directly through space, the patent inverts the approach by using orientation sensors to measure instrument orientation directly and calculating position indirectly through integration of orientation data and registered coordinate systems. This eliminates the need for traditional position tracking infrastructure
4Manufacturing precision
If precise screw placement is achieved through navigation, then surgical accuracy improves, but additional bone damage may occur from multiple registration attempts
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary registration using radiopaque markers visible on standard fluoroscopic images before any surgical intervention. The virtual model is created and validated in advance, allowing the surgeon to plan the exact screw trajectory and placement without requiring multiple trial registrations that would expose the bone to repeated mechanical manipulation and radiation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A surgical system for operating on a bone of a patient is described. The surgical system includes a reference device including one or more radiopaque markers, a first sensor configured to generate a first signal pertaining to orientation data of the reference device relative to a first coordinate system, a surgical instrument for coupling to an end effector, a second sensor configured to generate a second signal pertaining to orientation data of at least one of the end effector and the surgical instrument relative to a second coordinate system, and a navigation system. The navigation system is configured to determine an orientation of at least one of the end effector and the surgical instrument and superimpose a virtual representation of at least one of the end effector and the surgical instrument over the image based on the determined orientation and user input.