System for locating lesions in hollow organs

• US 20050090711A1
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fuchs, Friedrich, Kuth, Rainer
• Application Number:
  US10/970,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3132 for laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• 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 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A system is for locating lesions in hollow organs. The system includes an endorobot with an integrated camera and integrated lighting device and with an RF transmitter and receiver unit with antenna. The system further includes an endorobot viewer unit with RF receiver unit and antenna. Further, a laparoscope is included, with an integrated camera and integrated lighting device and with insertable medical instruments. Finally, the system includes a laparoscope viewer unit.

Claims

1. A system for locating lesions in hollow organs, comprising:

an endorobot, including an integrated camera and integrated lighting device and including an RF transmitter and receiver unit with antenna;

an endorobot viewer unit with RF receiver unit and antenna;

a laparoscope with an integrated camera and integrated lighting device and with insertable medical instruments; and

a laparoscope viewer unit.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an endorobot control apparatus.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an endorobot navigation system.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a laparoscope navigation system.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting device of at least one of the endorobot and the laparoscope includes a high-intensity pulsed light source.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light of the lighting device of at least one of the endorobot and the laparoscope is chosen spectrally.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laparoscope is composed exclusively of non-ferromagnetic parts.

8. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the endorobot control apparatus includes a laparoscopic access.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the endorobot viewer unit includes an RF transmitter unit for at least one of issuing commands to the endorobot and for charging an energy store of the endorobot.

22. The system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an endorobot navigation system.

23. The system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a laparoscope navigation system.

24. The system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a laparoscope navigation system.

10. A method for locating and diagnosing lesions in hollow organs, comprising:

introducing an endorobot into the interior of a hollow organ to be examined;

navigating the endorobot in the interior of the hollow organ via an endorobot control apparatus until a lesion is found;

bringing a laparoscope to the position of the lesion from outside the hollow organ to be examined, via an opening made in the body in the context of a minimally invasive surgical procedure; and

diagnosing the lesion through interaction of endorobot and laparoscope.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the position of the lesion is determined via an endorobot navigation system.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the position of the lesion is determined via detection of light signals from the endorobot by the laparoscope.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the position of the lesion is determined by at least one of X-ray, ultrasound and MRT measurements.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the diagnosis takes place in the form of at least one of fluoroscopy and contrast-assisted illumination by use of at least one of the endorobot and laparoscope.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising treating the lesion, using at least one of the laparoscope and the endorobot, by at least one of electrical or optical coagulation, biopsy, seed implantation, and injection of therapeutic agents.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a laparoscope is used which is not ferromagnetic.

17. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method is performed on at least on of the gastrointestinal tract, the lungs, the cranium, and the amniotic sac.

18. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein commands are issued to the endorobot via an RF transmitter unit at the endorobot viewer unit.

19. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein an energy store of the endorobot is charged by an RF transmitter unit at the endorobot viewer unit.

25. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the method is performed on at least on of the gastrointestinal tract, the lungs, the cranium, and the amniotic sac.

20. A medical procedure, comprising:

introducing, with visual monitoring via an endorobot, minimally invasive instruments into a hollow organ to be at least one of diagnosed and treated; and

carrying out at least one of differentiated diagnosis and treatment in a minimally invasive manner.

21. The medical procedure as claimed in claim 20, wherein the minimally invasive instrument is introduced at a location of the hollow organ which appears suitable from the visual monitoring via the endorobot.