Suturing Visual Guidance With Real-Time Needle Path Overlays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accurate placement of sutures in surgery is challenging due to the lack of depth perception in 2D visualization, leading to suboptimal needle positioning and orientation, which requires repeated insertion and repositioning during suturing.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing computer vision and intelligent scene cognition provides real-time feedback through overlays to guide suture placement, including path planning, spacing assessment, and recommendation, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in 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 easily visualized, but depth perception is lost leading to inaccurate needle placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms 2D video feed into 3D spatial understanding by implementing depth estimation algorithms that calculate distance maps and volumetric representations of tissue structures. This allows the system to display depth information overlaid on 2D images, enabling surgeons to perceive spatial relationships and needle trajectory in three dimensions while maintaining 2D display simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces computational algorithms as an intermediary between the 2D camera feed and the surgeon's decision-making. These algorithms process raw video data, estimate depth parameters, and generate augmented reality overlays that provide spatial context without requiring direct 3D visualization, thus bridging the gap between 2D imaging and 3D spatial awareness.
2Device complexity
If needle insertion is performed without real-time feedback, then the procedure is simpler, but needle repositioning is required leading to reduced efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements real-time feedback by continuously tracking needle position through computer vision, comparing actual trajectory against planned trajectory, and providing visual guidance overlays that show deviation. This feedback loop enables surgeons to adjust needle orientation and position dynamically during insertion, ensuring accurate placement on first attempt and eliminating repeated repositioning cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary trajectory planning before needle insertion by analyzing target tissue location, calculating optimal needle path, and displaying predictive guidance overlays. This pre-planning phase allows surgeons to visualize the complete needle trajectory in advance, prepare appropriate needle orientation, and execute insertion with confidence, reducing the need for corrective repositioning.
3Ease of operation
If manual needle manipulation is used, then the surgeon has direct control, but precise positioning is difficult without depth perception
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces computational depth estimation and augmented reality overlays as intermediaries between manual needle manipulation and visual feedback. These tools provide virtual depth cues and trajectory guidance that enhance the surgeon's natural manual dexterity, allowing precise positioning while maintaining direct manual control over the needle driver.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enhances 2D visual feedback with synthesized 3D depth information through algorithms that calculate distance, volume, and spatial relationships. This additional dimensional information is overlaid on the video feed, giving surgeons depth perception comparable to open surgery while maintaining the minimally invasive access benefits, thus enabling precise manual needle placement.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for providing visual assistance to a practitioner during a medical suturing procedure. Real time images of the suture site are captured and displayed on an image display. The images are analyzed in real time to detect the suture needle, suture penetration sites, relevant tissue, adjacent tissue edges or other features of interest in the visual images. Based on the orientation of, or relationship between, the detected features of interest, overlays are generated and displayed on the image display to inform the user about the suturing task that is underway, such as the anticipated needle path, the suture spacing, or the separation between sutures and adjacent tissue edges.