Tracked Drill Assembly With Image-Guided Hidden Tip Localization

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Solution Overview

Problem

During surgical procedures, the user relies solely on visual cues and experience to determine the location of a hidden tool tip, making precise procedures challenging.

Innovation Solution

A powered drill assembly equipped with a tracking device that allows real-time navigation and visualization of the tool tip relative to a subject's image, using tracking systems like optical or electromagnetic tracking, and a navigation processor unit to display the tool's location superimposed on the image.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a powered drill is used to perform surgical procedures, then the drilling speed and efficiency are improved, but the user cannot directly visualize the tool tip location, leading to reduced procedural accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling speedVSAvoidtool tip location accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

A tracking device is introduced as an intermediary between the powered drill and the navigation system. The tracking device attaches to the drill and contains passive or active trackable portions that can be detected by the navigation system, enabling indirect visualization of the drill tip location through image registration and superposition techniques

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation system creates a visual copy or representation of the drill tip location by registering the tracked drill position with pre-acquired medical images (CT, MRI, etc.). This virtual copy is then superimposed on the displayed images, allowing the user to see the drill tip location indirectly through the image overlay rather than direct visual observation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If a tracking device is attached to the powered drill, then real-time visualization of tool tip location is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetool tip location accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tracking device is designed to be universally compatible with different powered drills and surgical instruments. The same tracking device can attach to various drill types, and the navigation system can track multiple different instruments using the same tracking technology, reducing the need for instrument-specific tracking solutions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement and positioning systems with optical or electromagnetic tracking fields. Instead of using mechanical encoders, gears, or physical measurement devices on the drill, the system uses non-contact optical cameras or electromagnetic sensors to detect the tracking device's position and orientation, simplifying the mechanical complexity of the drill itself

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12539178B2Tracked powered drill assembly

Publication Date: 2026.02.03 MEDTRONIC PS MEDICAL INC

AI summary

Disclosed is a system to engage one or more tools. In the system a drive shaft and collet may be assembled to engage and disengage, selectively, a plurality of tools. Further, a tracking device may be used to track a location of at least a portion of the tool.