Computer-based methods and structures for stent-graft selection

• US 20030200120A1
• Filed: 04/18/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Binkert, Christoph A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,937,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

A stent-graft planning system is a web-based system that assists a physician in selecting and ordering the right stent-graft online in real-time. The stent-graft planning system provides a physician with a two-dimensional (2D) graphic model reflecting the individual vessel anatomy, e.g., aneurismal anatomy, and the selected stent graft in that anatomy. By comparing the graphic model with the image of the patient'"'"'s vessels, the physician can note any dimensions that are inconsistent with the graphic image and problems with the stent-graft placement. Each collected measurement is validated and the physician is warned if the measurement suggests a problem. The stent-graft system automatically generates the most suitable stent graft for an individual patient. After reviewing the selected stent graft in the 2D model, the stent graft can be ordered online.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a stent-graft planner module;

a physician database; and

a stent-graft database.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said system is a client-server system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said system is a stand-alone system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein execution of said stent-graft planner module generates a plurality of graphic user interfaces used to collect data for stent-graft selection.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said physician database includes physician preferences for a stent-graft planning process.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said stent-graft database includes manufacturer information for at least one stent graft.

7. A method comprising:

collecting measurements of vessels in a body using a plurality of graphic user interfaces; and

suggesting automatically a stent graft for use in said vessels using said measurements of vessels.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

validating said measurements prior to said using said measurements.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said vessels are associated with an aortic aneurysm.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

illustrating said vessels via a graphic of said vessels in a graphic region in at least one of said plurality of graphic user interfaces.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

changing said graphic of said vessels to reflect said measurements.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

highlighting a portion of said graphic that corresponds to a measurement to be entered via a data entry window in one of said graphic user interfaces.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

displaying a dimension arrow on a portion of said graphic that corresponds to a measurement to be entered via a data entry window in one of said graphic user interfaces.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

including an image of said stent graft in said graphic.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein said collecting measurements further comprises:

validating at least one of said measurements as being in a range acceptable for use with said stent graft.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein said collecting measurements further comprises:

generating a warning when a measurement indicates a problem with use of said stent graft.

17. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

storing said measurements in a database.

18. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

generating an order that is transmitted via a computer network to a manufacturer of said stent graft.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said computer network is an Internet.

20. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

changing said stent graft via at least one graphic user interface.

21. A method comprising:

collecting measurements of vessels in a body using a plurality of graphic user interfaces;

collecting physician'"'"'s options using at least one graphic user interface;

suggesting automatically a stent graft for use in said vessels using said measurements of vessels and said physician'"'"'s options; and

generating an order that is transmitted via a computer network to a manufacturer of said stent graft.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

changing said stent graft via at least one graphic user interface.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

validating said measurements prior to said using said measurements.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said vessels are associated with an aortic aneurysm.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

illustrating said vessels via a graphic of said vessels in a graphic region in at least one of said plurality of graphic user interfaces.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

changing said graphic of said vessels to reflect said measurements.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

highlighting a portion of said graphic that corresponds to a measurement to be entered via a data entry window in one of said graphic user interfaces.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

displaying a dimension arrow on a portion of said graphic that corresponds to a measurement to be entered via a data entry window in one of said graphic user interfaces.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

including an image of said stent graft in said graphic.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein said collecting measurements further comprises:

validating at least one of said measurements as being in a range acceptable for use with said stent graft.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein said collecting measurements further comprises:

generating a warning when a measurement indicates a problem with use of said stent graft.

32. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

storing said measurements in a database.

33. The method of claim 21 wherein said computer network is an Internet.

34. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

generating a follow-up message for a physician.

35. A computer-based process comprising:

receiving a value for a parameter used in a stent-graft planning process;

checking said value to determine whether said value is within a range of permitted values for said parameter; and

checking said value to determine whether said value is within a range associated with a warning for said stent-graft planning process.

36. A computer program product having stored thereon computer readable computer code wherein execution of said computer readable computer code generates a method comprising:

collecting measurements of vessels in a body using a plurality of graphic user interfaces; and

using said measurements to automatically suggest a stent graft for use in said vessels.

37. A computer program product having stored thereon computer readable computer code wherein execution of said computer readable computer code generates a method comprising:

collecting measurements of vessels in a body using a plurality of graphic user interfaces;

collecting physician'"'"'s options using at least one graphic user interface;

suggesting automatically a stent graft for use in said vessels using said measurements of vessels and said physician'"'"'s options; and

generating an order that is transmitted via a computer network to a manufacturer of said stent graft.

38. A computer program product having stored thereon computer readable computer code wherein execution of said computer readable computer code generates a method comprising:

receiving a value for a parameter used in a stent-graft planning process;

checking said value to determine whether said value is within a range of permitted values for said parameter; and

checking said value to determine whether said value is within a range associated with a warning for said stent-graft planning process.