Method and apparatus for expert system to track and manipulate patients

• US 20060100508A1
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SDGI Holdings Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: SDGI Holdings Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Morrison, Matthew M.
• Application Number:
  US10/985,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20060100508A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/426
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1075 for measuring dimensions by non-invasive methods, e.g. for determining thickness of tissue layer A61B8/0858 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip

Abstract

A system and method to track and manipulate the bony anatomy of a patient. A plurality of fiducials is placed on the bony anatomy of a patient. The relative spatial relationships of the fiducials are scanned and a signal generated before, during and after a surgical procedure. The patient is manipulated according to predetermined relative spatial relationships to provide a successful clinical outcome. The fiducials may be LED devices capable of optical observation or signal-emitting devices capable of spatial relationships in three dimensions. An expert system allows comparison of the relative spatial relationships to historical, healthcare facility and Internet databases to plan and determine clinical success of a patient procedure.

Claims

1. A method for determining time spaced spatial relationships on a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a plurality of fiducials on said patient,

scanning and generating a signal reflecting the relative spatial relationship of said fiducials,

storing said signals, and

subsequently scanning and generating a signal reflecting the then-current relative spatial relationship of said fiducials.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the patient is a surgical patient and said step of scanning and generating a signal reflecting the relative spatial relationship of said fiducials is taken before surgery and said method further comprises the step of manipulating the patient to synchronize the spatial relationship of said fiducials with a predetermined spatial relationship.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spatial relationships of said fiducials for scanning and generating a signal is in three dimensions.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fiducials are scanned and a signal generated after a surgical operation.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said fiducials are compared to a predetermined clinical success relative spatial relationship.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fiducials are placed on the bony anatomy of a patient.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fiducials are scanned and said signal generated through visual observation of said fiducials.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said fiducials are LED emitters and said scanning and signal generating is done using a digital camera.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fiducials emit a signal and said scanning and signal generating is done using signals emanating from said fiducials.

10. Apparatus for determining time spaced relative spatial relationships on a patient, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of fiducials placed on said patient,

a device for generating a signal as a function of the relative spatial relationship of said fiducials,

a device receiving said signals and storing said spatial relationships, said device being capable of time spaced storage of said spatial relationships.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said signal receiving device stores predetermined relative spatial relationships for said fiducials and compares the actual location with the predetermined locations.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said predetermined relative spatial relationships reflect a successful clinical outcome.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said device for generating a signal and the device for receiving said signal determines the spatial relationship in at least one of before, during and after a surgical procedure.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said device for generating a signal and the device for receiving said signal determine the spatial relationships before and during the surgical procedure.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said device for generating a signal and the device for receiving said signal determine the relative spatial relationships of said fiducials before, during and after the surgical procedure.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said fiducials are placed on the bony anatomy of said patient.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said patient is a surgical patient.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said fiducials are light emitting devices and said signal generating device generates a signal in response to the location of said LED devices.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said fiducials emit a signal and said signal-generating device is responsive to said signal for determining the spatial relationships of said fiducials.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said fiducials are responsive to presence in an energy field to generate a signal and wherein said signal-generating device applies energy to said fiducials to generate said signals.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein said signal-generating device determines the position of said fiducials by triangulation to generate said signals.

22. A computer assisted method of patient treatment comprising the steps of:

providing a resident historical database of patient treatment pathways including patient conditions,

receiving an online link to selected patient treatment pathways data,

receiving an input representing real time patient condition, and

receiving consultative data on patient treatment pathways and condition, and

determining from the historical data, online data, real time input and consultative data a specific treatment pathway for said patient.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the step of adding real time patient conditions to said resident historical database.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22 comprising the further steps of periodically determining real time patient condition and determining from said data and real time condition an altered treatment path for said patient.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the step of filtering of consultative data.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said filtering step comprises a qualitative measure on said consultative data

27. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said resident historical database of patient treatment pathways are predicted treatment pathways.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said treatment pathway is altered periodically based on real time patient condition.

29. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said treatment pathways are generated from a probabilistic treatment pathway.

30. A method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising the step of providing tool identification for treatment of said patient.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein indicia are provided on said tools and said method further comprises the step of indicating the proper tool based on indicia on the tools.

32. A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein said step of identifying required tools is performed through an online link.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32 wherein said step of determining patient condition comprises placing a plurality of fiducials on said patient and scanning and generating a signal reflecting the relative spatial relationship of said fiducials.