Suture Path Overlays for Accurate Needle Placement in 2D Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accurate placement of sutures in surgery is challenging due to lack of depth perception in 2D visualization, leading to suboptimal needle positioning and orientation, which is often corrected after the needle has passed through tissue, reducing efficiency and increasing complications.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses computer vision and intelligent scene cognition to provide real-time guidance through overlays on surgical images, aiding in needle path planning, suture spacing, and placement recommendations, applicable to both manual and robotic-assisted surgeries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If 2D visualization is used for suturing, then the surgical field is clearly visible, but depth perception is lost making accurate needle placement difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms 2D endoscopic images into 3D spatial understanding by generating depth maps and 3D point clouds from 2D image data. This allows the surgical system to reconstruct the three-dimensional geometry of tissue structures while maintaining the simplicity of 2D visualization, enabling accurate depth perception and needle placement guidance without sacrificing visual clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces computational algorithms as an intermediary between the 2D camera system and the surgical practitioner. These algorithms process 2D images to extract depth information, generate 3D reconstructions, and provide augmented reality overlays that indicate optimal needle trajectories and target points, effectively bridging the gap between limited 2D visualization and the 3D spatial awareness needed for accurate suturing.
2Measurement precision
If real-time 3D guidance overlays are added to surgical images, then needle placement accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing endoscopic camera system multi-functional by enabling it to perform both standard 2D visualization and 3D depth mapping functions. The same hardware infrastructure processes images for both purposes, eliminating the need for separate complex 3D sensing equipment and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining enhanced accuracy capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing 2D endoscopic images to generate 3D depth information through computational algorithms, rather than requiring additional specialized sensors or hardware. The 2D camera system essentially serves itself by extracting depth data from its own image output through monocular depth estimation techniques, avoiding the need for complex multi-camera rig setups or active stereo vision systems.
3Measurement precision
If needle placement is corrected after insertion, then optimal positioning is achieved, but surgical time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides real-time guidance overlays that show the predicted needle trajectory and target exit points before the surgeon actually inserts the needle. By displaying the expected needle path and optimal insertion points in advance, the system enables surgeons to plan and execute accurate needle placement on the first attempt, eliminating the need for time-consuming corrections and re-insertions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous real-time feedback during the needle insertion process by overlaying guidance information on the live endoscopic view. This feedback loop allows the surgeon to adjust the needle trajectory in real-time based on visual cues about the predicted path and target location, ensuring accurate placement without requiring multiple attempts or post-insertion corrections.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method using computer vision to assist surgical suturing includes capturing digital images of a treatment site in a region of patient anatomy and displaying the image in real time on an image display. Computer vision techniques are used to determine the edges of tissue to be sutured. The system determines target needle entry and exit points at desired distances from the tissue edges and at a desired spacing, and displays the target needle entry and exit points as overlays on the image display.