Automatic identification of tracked surgical devices using an electromagnetic localization system

• US 20080200927A1
• Filed: 02/19/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Steve Hartmann
• Inventors: Hartmann, Steve, Tipton, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,233,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/108 Computer aided selection or customisation of medical implants or cutting guides
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0805 automatically, e.g. by means of magnetic, optical or photoelectric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• 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 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/287 involving active visualization of interventional instruments, e.g. using active tracking RF coils or coils for intentionally creating magnetic field inhomogeneities

Abstract

A method and apparatus for identifying a member used in a navigation system. The navigation system can determine the identification of an instrument via an input. The input can be substantially automatic when an instrument is introduced into the navigation system field or assembly.

Claims

1. A navigation system to navigate a procedure on an anatomy, comprising:

an instrument operable to be moved relative to the anatomy;

an identification member operably associated with the instrument;

an identification member reader operable to determine information from the identification member;

a processor operable to identify the instrument based at least in part on the information obtained by the identification member reader from the identification member; and

a tracking device associated with the instrument operable to be tracked with a tracking system.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the instrument includes a first portion and a second portion;

wherein the second portion is selected from a first member, a second member or combinations therewith to be interconnected with the first portion.

3. The navigation system of claim 2, wherein the second portion is interconnected with the first portion at a selected time and includes the identification member operable to be read by the identification member reader.

4. The navigation system of claim 3, wherein the identification member includes a field distorting member that is operable to distort a field as the second portion is interconnected with the first portion.

5. The navigation system of claim 3, wherein the identification member includes a selective engaging portion operable to selectively engage a selected portion of the identification member reader by interconnecting the first portion and the second portion.

6. The navigation system of claim 5, wherein the selective engaging portion includes at least one of a mechanical switch, an optical switch, an electrical switch, or combinations thereof.

7. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the tracking system further comprises:

an electromagnetic localization system;

wherein the electromagnetic localization system is operable to at least one of transmit an electromagnetic field, receive an electromagnetic field, or combinations thereof.

8. The navigation system of claim 7, wherein the identification member includes field distortion members associated with the instrument.

9. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein the field distortion members include a plurality of annular rings axially spaced along the instrument.

10. The navigation system of claim 8, wherein the tracking device senses distortions in the field produced by the electromagnetic localization system based upon the identification member.

11. The navigation system of claim 10, further comprising:

a memory system;

wherein the processor receives field distortion information from the tracking device and accesses the memory system to determine a particular identification of the instrument.

12. The navigation system of claim 11, further comprising:

a display device;

wherein the display device is operable to display an icon representing the specific instrument based upon the identification made by the processor.

13. The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory system, including a database of the information;

wherein the processor is operable to determine the identity of the instrument based upon the information in the memory system by at least comparing the information obtained by the identification member reader from the identification member to the database.

14. The navigation of system of claim 1, wherein the identification member reader is the tracking system.

15. The navigation system of claim 14, wherein the identification member reader includes a localization system operable to at least one of receive a signal from or transmit a signal to the tracking device.

16. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is provided integrally with the tracking system.

17. The navigation system of claim 1 further comprising:

an imaging system operable to obtain image data of the anatomy.

18. The navigation system of claim 17, further comprising:

a display operable to display an icon representing the identified instrument based upon a determination of the processor.

19. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the instrument includes at least one of an awl, a probe, a tap, a driver, a stint, or combinations thereof.

20. A navigation system to be used with navigating a surgical procedure on an anatomy, comprising:

an instrument operable to be used to perform an intervention on the anatomy;

an instrument identification portion associated with the surgical instrument;

a tracking device associated with the instrument;

a tracking system operable to determine a position of the tracking device relative to a reference point; and

a processor operable to determine a position of a working portion of an instrument based in part at least on the tracking system and the instrument identification portion.

21. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the instrument includes a first portion operable to be selectively interconnected with a second portion.

22. The navigation system of claim 21, wherein the second portion includes a plurality of members, wherein each of the plurality of members is operable to be selectively connected to the first portion;

and

wherein each of the plurality of members includes a distinct instrument identification portion.

23. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the instrument identification portion includes at least one of an electromagnetic field distortion section, a connection portion, or combinations thereof.

24. The navigation system of claim 20, further comprising:

an instrument identification portion reader.

25. The navigation system of claim 24, wherein the tracking system includes an electromagnetic tracking system;

and

wherein the instrument identification portion includes a distortion portion associated with the instrument to create a distortion determinable by the instrument identification portion reader.

26. The navigation system of claim 25, further comprising:

an electromagnetic localizer transmitting coil; and

wherein the tracking device registers a distortion in a field produced by the electromagnetic localizer transmitting coil as the tracking device moves past the distortion portion associated with the instrument.

27. The navigation system of claim 26, wherein the distortion portion associated with the instrument is substantially unique for the instrument.

28. The navigation system of claim 24, wherein the tracking system and the instrument identification portion reader are a single system.

29. The navigation system of claim 28, wherein the processor is also an instrument identification portion reader processor.

30. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the instrument identification portion includes a projection extending from a first portion of the instrument;

wherein the instrument includes a first portion and a second portion operable to be interconnected.

32. The navigation system of claim 30, wherein the instrument identification portion includes at least one of a mechanical switch, an electrical switch, an optical switch, or combinations thereof.

33. The navigation system of claim 20, further comprising:

an imaging system operable to obtain image data of the anatomy; and

a display device operable to display the image data of the anatomy;

wherein the processor is operable to determine an icon based upon the instrument and display the icon relative to the image data on the display device.

34. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the instrument includes at least one of an awl, a probe, a tap, a driver, a stint, or combinations thereof.

31. The navigation system of claim 31, further comprising:

an instrument identification portion associated with the second portion to receive the projections of the first portion of the instrument.

35. A method of navigating a surgical procedure relative to an anatomy, comprising:

selecting a surgical instrument with an working portion;

providing an identification portion with the instrument;

providing a processor operable to determine the identity of the instrument with the identification portion;

determining a position of the working portion relative to a reference point based at least in part on the determined identity of the instrument; and

navigating the instrument relative to the anatomy.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein selecting a surgical instrument includes selecting a first portion and a second portion;

and

interconnecting the first portion and the second portion.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

obtaining image data of the anatomy;

displaying the position of the working portion relative to the image data of the anatomy; and

wherein navigating the instrument relative to the anatomy includes displaying an icon of the working portion at a location relative to the image data.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

providing an electromagnetic field;

wherein providing an identification portion includes providing a distortion member; and

detecting a distortion in the electromagnetic field produced by the distortion portion.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

transmitting the distortions of the electromagnetic field to the processor;

comparing, with the processor, the detected distortion in the electromagnetic field to a table including a plurality of distortion patterns; and

determining the identity of the instrument based upon a matching of the detected distortion to the table.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein providing the identification portion includes providing a projection;

extending the projections into a receiving portion; and

wherein the interaction of the projection portion and the receiving portion is operable to produce a signal based upon the specific interaction of the projection and receiving portion.

41. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

providing a plurality of the surgical instruments; and

wherein providing an identification portion with the surgical instruments includes providing a unique identification portion with each of the plurality of surgical instruments.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein providing a plurality of surgical instruments includes providing each of the plurality of the surgical instruments with a unique working feature.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein determining the identity of the surgical instrument includes determining the unique working feature of the each of the plurality of the surgical instruments based upon the identification portion.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein navigating the surgical instrument relative to the anatomy includes navigating the unique working feature relative to the anatomy.

45. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

providing the surgical instruments.

46. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

providing an imaging device;

obtaining image data of the anatomy with the imaging device; and

displaying the obtained image data.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

displaying an icon representing the determined identity of the instrument relative to the image data.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein providing an imaging device includes providing at least one of a magnetic resonance imaging system, an x-ray imaging system, an ultra-sound imaging system, a computed tomography imaging system, a positron emission tomography system, an optical coherence tomography system, a single photon emission computed tomography system, a planar gamma scintigraphy system or combinations thereof.