Medical mapping system

• US 20020120188A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rogers, Gary, Brock, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,810,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00088 using thermistors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 : Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 : the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/416 : the spleen
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 : lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4893 : Nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 : using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40144 : Force sensation feedback from slave

Abstract

Apparatus and method for sensing at an anatomic body site and mapping or transforming the sensor signal into various forms of virtual image and feedback signals, having particular application in assisting surgeons and other operators during a medical procedure. In one embodiment, a medical system is provided that includes a medical implement, a manipulator controllable by an operator for control of the medical implement at an anatomic body site and a sensing device for sensing a non-visible field associated with a body structure at the site. A controller, intercoupling the sensing device and the manipulator, includes a mapping component for translating characteristics of the sensed field signal into a tactile feedback signal to the manipulator to warn the surgeon that he is approaching this structure with the implement. Alternatively or in addition, a virtual image of the body structure is displayed, separate or preferably together with a visual image of the site, to assist a surgeon in manipulating a medical implement.

Claims

1. A system for generating a display of a body structure comprising:

a sensor positionable at an internal body site for sensing a non-visible field of a body structure at the site and generating a sensor signal indicative of the field;

a transformation system for transforming the sensor signal into virtual image data;

a source of visual image data for the site; and

a visual system enabling combined display of the visual image data and the virtual image data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-visible field is at least one of an electrical field, a thermal field, an infrared field and a radioactive field.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is at least one of a voltage sensor, a thermal sensor, an infrared sensor, and a radioactive sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensed field is associated with at least one of a nerve, nerve bundle and vascular vessel.

5. The system of claim 1, further including:

a stimulator emitting a stimulation signal for at least one of enhancing and generating the field.

6. The system of claim 1, further including:

a tele-robotic system having a slave station with a medical implement and a master station with a user interface at which user input occurs to control the medical implement, wherein the visual system is provided at the master station.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the transformation system includes, for at least one select site, an associated signature value of the virtual image data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual image data defines a boundary of the field.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the stimulator emits at least one predefined stimulation signal for an associated body site.

10. A method for generating a display of a body structure comprising:

sensing at an internal body site a non-visible field of a body structure at the site and generating a sensed signal indicative of the field;

transforming the sensed signal into virtual image data;

providing visual image data for the site;

displaying in combination the visual image data and the virtual image data.

11. A system for obtaining virtual image data of a body structure comprising:

a computer-controlled instrument for positioning a sensor at an internal body site;

the sensor sensing a non-visible field of a body structure at the site and generating a sensor signal indicative of the field; and

a transformation system for transforming the sensor signal into virtual image data.

12. The system of claim 11, further including:

a visual system enabling a display of the virtual image data.

13. The system of claim 12, further including:

a tele-robotic system having a slave station with a medical implement and a master station with a user interface at which user input occurs to control the medical implement, wherein the visual system is provided at the master station.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-visible field is at least one of an electrical field, a thermal field, an infrared field and a radioactive field.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is at least one of a voltage sensor, a thermal sensor, an infrared sensor, and a radioactive sensor.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensed field is associated with at least one of a nerve, nerve bundle and vascular vessel.

17. The system of claim 11, further including:

a stimulator emitting a stimulation signal for at least one of enhancing and generating the field.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the stimulator emits at least one predefined stimulation signal for an associated body structure.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the transformation system includes, for at least one body structure, an associated signature value of the field.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the virtual image data defines a boundary of the field.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is disposed at a distal end of a medical instrument.

22. The system of claim 21, further including:

a medical implement also disposed at the distal end of the instrument.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the medical implement includes a tool used to perform a medical procedure at the site.

24. The system of claim 11, further including:

a hand-engageable user interface providing input to a computer for positioning of the instrument.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the user interface is part of a tele-robotic master station.

26. The system of claim 12, wherein the virtual image data is provided in the display as at least one of a landmark area and an avoidance area.

27. The system of claim 11, wherein the transformation system includes:

modeling data for associating the virtual image data with locations at the site.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the tactile signal is at least one of force and vibration.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the tactile signal is implemented at the user interface as at least one of force and vibration.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the user interface is at least one of a hand-held holder for the medical implement and a tele-robotic interface for the medical implement.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the transformation system enables real-time implementation of the feedback signal.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the tactile signal is at least one of force and vibration.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the tactile signal is implemented at the user interface as at least one of force and vibration.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the user interface is at least one of a hand-held holder for the medical implement and a tele-robotic interface for the medical implement.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the transformation system enables real-time implementation of the feedback signal.

28. A method for obtaining virtual image data of a body structure comprising:

positioning by computer control a sensor at an internal body site;

sensing a non-visible field of a body structure at the site and generating a sensed signal indicative of the field; and

transforming the sensed signal into virtual image data.

29. A system for controlling manipulation of a medical implement comprising:

a sensor positionable at an internal body site for sensing a non-visible field of a body structure at the site and generating a sensor signal indicative of the field;

a transformation system for transforming the sensor signal into a feedback signal;

a control system, including a haptic user interface, for manipulating a medical implement at the site, the control system receiving the feedback signal and in response thereto providing a tactile signal at the user interface.

34. A method for controlling manipulation of a medical implement comprising:

sensing a non-visible field of a body structure at an internal body site and generating a sensed signal indicative of the field;

transforming the sensed signal into a feedback signal; and

utilizing the feedback signal to provide a tactile signal at a haptic user interface for controlling manipulation of a medical implement at the site.

35. A system for controlling manipulation of a medical implement comprising:

a sensor positionable at an internal body site for sensing a visual image of a body structure at the site and generating a sensor signal indicative of the image;

a transformation system for transforming the sensor signal into a feedback signal;

a control system, including a haptic user interface, for manipulating a medical implement at the site, the control system receiving the feedback signal and in response thereto providing a tactile signal at the user interface.

40. A method for controlling manipulation of a medical implement comprising:

sensing a visual image of a body structure at an internal body site and generating a sensed signal indicative of the image;

transforming the sensed signal into a feedback signal; and

utilizing the feedback signal to provide a tactile signal at a haptic user interface for controlling manipulation of a medical implement at the site.