SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS AND SUPPORT FOR SURGICAL SYSTEMS

• US 20100076453A1
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Medical Optics Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Loschy, Robert V., Morris, Wes
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00887 Cataract
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00802 for photoablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00825 for photodisruption
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

Systems and methods for medical care, and more particularly, systems and methods for providing remote diagnostics and support for surgical systems. A central computer system is communicatively coupled to one or more computer-based surgical machines. The central computer system is programmed to monitor the operation of each of the surgical machines, diagnose any problems that occur with the machines, and notify a technician of potential problems with the machines to provide for an efficient support system that minimizes undesirable downtime of the surgical machines.

Claims

1. A service system for supporting ophthalmic surgical systems, the service system comprising:

a plurality of remotely located ophthalmic surgical machines;

a plurality of personal digital assistants; and

a central computer system communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines and to each of the plurality of personal digital assistant, the central computer system configured to;

detect an operation fault of at least one of the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines, the operation fault indicating a service requirement of the at least one of the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines; and

notify at least one of the personal digital assistants of the operation fault.

2. The service system of claim 1, wherein the central computer system is configured to send software upgrades to any of the ophthalmic surgical machines upon receiving a request.

3. The service system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines comprises one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines, each of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines configured to produce a total output energy amount during operation;

and wherein the central computer system is further configured to;

monitor the total output energy amount of each of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines; and

detect the operation fault when the total output energy amount of at least one of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines exceeds a threshold energy level.

4. The service system of claim 3, wherein the central computer system comprises a database of profiles for each of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines, the database of profiles based on at least one of the total output energy amount of each of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines, a beam steering error, a coolant level error, a shutter error, a laser diode error, a galvo positioning error, a wavefront measurement, and a voltage measurement, and wherein the central computer system is further configured to predict the service requirement using the database of profiles.

5. The service system of claim 3, wherein the central computer system is further configured to:

determine a rate of change of the total output energy amount of each of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines; and

detect the operation fault when the rate of change of the total output energy amount of at least one of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines exceeds a threshold rate.

6. The service system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines comprises one or more phacoemulsification- machines, each of the one or more phacoemulsification machines having a rotary vain pump, and wherein the central computer system is further configured to:

monitor a total usage of the rotary vain pump of each of the one or more phacoemulsification machines; and

detect the operation fault when the total usage of the rotary vain pump of at least one of the one or more phacoemulsification machines exceeds a threshold value.

8. A method of servicing a plurality of surgical systems, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring the plurality of surgical systems to obtain data indicating a status for each of the plurality of surgical systems;

determining an operation fault of at least one surgical system of the plurality of surgical systems based on the data and a database of pre-determined profiles corresponding to each of the plurality of surgical systems; and

notifying at least one technician of the operation fault.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of notifying comprises identifying one or more technicians within a pre-determined proximity to the at least one surgical system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the at least one technician has a personal digital assistant, and wherein the step of notifying comprises transmitting an alert to the personal digital assistant of the at least one technician, the alert indicating the operation fault.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of determining an operation fault comprises comparing the data with the database of pre-determined profiles to predict a service requirement of the at least one surgical system, the operation fault based on the service requirement.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one surgical system comprises a plurality of components, and wherein the step of determining an operation fault comprises predicting a service requirement of a first component of the plurality of components from the data.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein a first surgical system of the plurality of surgical systems comprises a database of operating conditions, each of the operating conditions acquired during an operation of the first surgical system, and wherein the step of monitoring comprises periodically accessing the database of operating conditions.

14. A support system for a plurality of remotely located ophthalmic surgical machines, the support system comprising:

a plurality of personal digital assistants; and

a central computer system communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines and to each of the plurality of personal digital assistants, the central computer system configured to;

receive data from at least one of the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines;

detect an operation fault of at least one of the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines based on the data and a database on profiles corresponding to each of the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines, the operation fault indicating a service requirement of the at least one of the plurality of ophthalmic surgical machines; and

transmit an alert to at least one of the personal digital assistants, the alert indicating the operation fault.

7. The service system of claim 16 wherein the central computer system comprises a database of profiles for each of the one or more phacoemulsification machines, the database of profiles based on at least one of the total usage of the rotary vain pump of each of the one or more phacoemulsification machines, an amount of time for priming, a vacuum performance, a power performance, a power error, a temperature error, a computer error, a safety error, a footswitch error, an account warranty status, and a serial/lot number, and wherein the central computer system is further configured to predict the service requirement using the database of profiles.

15. The ophthalmic surgical system of claim 14, wherein the central computer system is further programmed to send software upgrades to any of the ophthalmic surgical machines upon a request.

16. The ophthalmic surgical system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of remotely located ophthalmic surgical machines include one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines, each producing an amount of total output energy during operation, and wherein the central computer system is configured to:

monitor the amount of total output energy of each of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines; and

notify at least one of the personal digital assistants when the amount of total output energy of one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines exceeds a threshold energy level.

17. The ophthalmic surgical system of claim 16, wherein the central computer system is further configured to:

calculate a rate of change of the amount of total output energy for each of the one or more ophthalmic laser surgical machines; and

notify at least one of the personal digital assistants when the rate of change of the amount of total output energy for one or more of the ophthalmic laser surgical machines exceeds a threshold rate.

18. The ophthalmic surgical system of claim 14, wherein one or more of the ophthalmic surgical machines are phacoemulsification machines each having a rotary vain pump, and wherein the central computer system is further configured to:

monitor a total usage of the rotary vain pump of each of the one or more phacoemulsification machines; and

notify at least one of the personal digital assistants when the total usage of one of the rotary vain pumps exceeds a threshold value.

19. The ophthalmic surgical system of claim 14, wherein the central computer system is further configured to compare the data with the database of profiles to predict the service requirement.

20. The ophthalmic surgical system of claim 14, wherein a first ophthalmic surgical machine comprises a plurality of components, wherein the central computer system is further configured to predict the service requirement of a first component of the plurality of components.