Hybrid navigation system for tracking the position of body tissue

• US 20070225595A1
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Malackowski, Don, Brindley, Robert, Wu, Chunwu, Hoekstra, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/333,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225595A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3904 specially adapted for marking specified tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3916 Bone tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3958 emitting a signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/397 electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3975 active
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3987 Applicators for implanting markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3991 having specific anchoring means to fixate the marker to the tissue, e.g. hooks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0252 using ambient temperature
• 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 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• 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 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4504 Bones A61B5/4547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 : Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

A hybrid surgical navigation system for tracking the position of body tissue. The system includes a marker shaped to be mounted subcutaneously to the tissue the position of which is to be tracked. A tracker located above skin level is placed near the marker. A first navigation system integral with the marker and tracker generate data indicating the position of the marker relative to the tracker. A second navigation monitors the position of the tracker. The tracker also includes a transmitter for transmitting data generated by the first navigation system. Based on the data generated by the first navigation system representative of the position of the marker relative to the tracker and the data from the second navigation system representative of the position of the tracker, the position of the marker and tissue to which it is attached is determined.

Claims

1. A surgical navigation system comprising:

a subcutaneous marker including a geometric feature shaped to attach said marker to a section of tissue;

a tracker at least partially disposed above skin surface adjacent said marker, said tracker being moveable relative to said marker;

a first navigation assembly located in said marker and said tracker for generating signals indicating the position of said marker relative to said tracker;

a second navigation assembly contained in said tracker and in a localizer spaced from said tracker for generating signals indicating the position of said tracker to said localizer; and

a processor connected to said first navigation assembly for receiving data representative of the position of said marker relative to said tracker and to said second navigation assembly for receiving data representative of the position of said tracker to said localizer and configured to, based on the received data, generate data indicating the position of said marker relative to said localizer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first navigation assembly includes:

a transmitter in one of said marker or said tracker for transmitting energy wirelessly; and

a transducer in the other one of said tracker or said marker for measuring the strength of the transmitted energy.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy transmitted from said marker or said tracker to the other of said tracker or said marker is either EM or RF energy.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy transmitted from the one of said marker or said tracker is transmitted at 5 Watts or less.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said second navigation system transmits and receives one from the following types of energy:

EM energy;

RF energy;

light energy;

sonic; and

ultrasonic energy.

6. A surgical tracker, said tracker comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting energy to a subcutaneous marker;

a receiver for receiving from the mark signals representing measurements of the transmitted energy received by the marker and

components of a remote navigation system that includes a localizer that allows the remote navigation system to determine the position of said tracker relative to the localizer; and

a transmitter connected to said receiver for wirelessly broadcasting to a remote receiver data representative of the signal measurements made by the marker.

7. A method for performing surgical navigation including the steps of:

attaching a tracker to body tissue or a surgical device;

providing a localizer, wherein at least one of the tracker or the localizer is moveable relative to the other of the localizer or the tracker;

transmitting energy at a select frequency from the tracker to the localizer or from the localizer to the tracker;

measuring the transmitted energy received by the localizer or the tracker;

based on the measurements of energy received by the localizer or the tracker, determining the position or orientation of the tracker;

determining if a device external to the surgical navigation system is emitting energy that can potentially adversely affect said determination of the position or orientation of the tracker; and

if a device external to the surgical navigation system is emitting energy that can potentially adversely affect said determination of the position or orientation of said tracker, in said step of transmitting energy, changing the frequency at which the energy is transmitted.

8. The method of performing surgical navigation of claim 7, wherein said step of determining if a device external to the surgical navigation system is emitting energy that can potentially adversely affect said determination of the position or orientation of the tracker is performed by monitoring the accuracy of said determination of the position or orientation of the tracker.

9. The method of performing surgical navigation of claim 7, wherein said step of determining if a device external to the surgical navigation system is emitting energy that can potentially adversely affect said determination of the position or orientation of the tracker is performed by monitoring whether or not the external device is actuated.

10. The method of performing surgical navigation of claim 7, wherein, in said step of transmitting energy, energy from one of the following types of energy is transmitted:

electromagnetic;

RF;

sonic;

ultrasonic; and

photonic.

11. The method of performing surgical navigation of claim 7, wherein:

in said step of attaching a tracker, the tracker is fitted subcutaneously to tissue of a patient; and

in said step of providing a localizer, the localizer is disposed over the patient in the vicinity of the tracker.

12. The method of performing surgical navigation of claim 11, wherein:

said navigation system used to track the position and orientation of said tracker is a first navigation system;

the position or orientation of the localizer is determined; and

based on the determination of the position or orientation of the tracker relative to the localizer and the determination position or orientation of the localizer, the position or orientation of the tracker relative to a reference point is determined.