SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF TRACKING AND ANALYZING USE OF MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS

• US 20180333209A1
• Filed: 05/17/2017
• Published: 11/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: FRUSHOUR, SCOTT E.M., DOW, ANSEL H.
• Granted Patent: US 11,065,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• 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 2560/0266 for monitoring or limiting apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0462 Apparatus with built-in sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0271 Thermal or temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• 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 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method for a medical procedure is provided and includes obtaining data from sensors disposed in a medical instrument. The sensors include at least one first sensor configured to measure acceleration, at least one second sensor configured to measure rotation, and at least one third sensor configured to measure direction of movement. The method further includes correlating the data from the sensors with time and storing the correlated data and time. A medical system, a method for imaging a medical procedure, and a method of processing sensor measurements are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for a medical procedure, comprising:

obtaining data from a plurality of sensors disposed in a medical instrument, the plurality of sensors comprising at least one first sensor configured to measure acceleration, at least one second sensor configured to measure rotation, and at least one third sensor configured to measure direction of movement;

correlating the data from the plurality of sensors with time; and

storing the correlated data and time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first sensor includes an accelerometer, the at least one second sensor includes a gyroscope, and the at least one third sensor includes a magnetometer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one fourth sensor configured to measure pressure, the at least one fourth sensor including a barometer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining that the medical instrument has entered a body cavity of a patient by at least one of:

determining that measured pressure from the barometer exceeds a threshold, or determining that measured acceleration has decreased from above a first threshold to below a second threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

storing data indicating a reference point;

displaying a representation of the reference point on a display screen;

displaying a representation of the medical instrument; and

animating movement of the representation of the medical instrument based on the data from the plurality of sensors and the correlated time,

wherein the reference point is a point of entry into the body cavity of the patient.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining data from the plurality of sensors includes obtaining data from the plurality of sensors as the medical instrument is maneuvered within the body cavity of the patient.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the correlated data with at least one of a particular patient, a particular clinician, or a particular medical procedure.

8. A medical system comprising:

at least one first sensor disposed in a medical instrument and configured to measure acceleration;

at least one second sensor disposed in the medical instrument and configured to measure rotation;

at least one third sensor disposed in the medical instrument and configured to measure direction of movement;

a clock circuit configured to indicate time;

a memory; and

processing circuitry in communication with the at least one first sensor, the at least one second sensor, the at least one third sensor, and the clock circuit, the processing circuitry configured to;

receive measured data of the at least one first sensor, the at least one second sensor, and the at least one third sensor,

correlate the measured data with time indicated by the clock circuit, and

store the correlated measured data and time in the memory.

9. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the at least one first sensor includes an accelerometer, the at least one second sensor includes a gyroscope, and the at least one third sensor includes a magnetometer.

10. The medical system of claim 9, wherein:

the accelerometer is configured to measure linear acceleration of the medical instrument;

the gyroscope is configured to measure at least rotation of the medical instrument about a longitudinal axis of the medical instrument; and

the magnetometer is configured to measure direction of the medical instrument based on a geomagnetic field.

11. The medical system of claim 10, wherein the at least one second sensor is configured to measure at least one of yaw, pitch, or roll of the medical instrument.

12. The medical system of claim 8, further including at least one fourth sensor disposed in the medical instrument configured to measure pressure, to measure energy applied to a patient by the medical instrument, or combinations thereof.

13. The medical system of claim 12, further comprising an integrated circuit disposed in the medical instrument, the integrated circuit including the at least one first sensor, the at least one second sensor, the at least one third sensor, and the at least one fourth sensor.

14. The medical system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that a distal portion of the medical instrument has entered a body cavity of a patient based on measured pressure from the barometer exceeding a threshold.

15. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the memory is configured to store at least one of a medical instrument identifier, a clinician identifier, or a medical procedure identifier, the at least one stored identifier being associated with the correlated measured data.

16. The medical system of claim 8, further comprising a trigger disposed on the medical instrument and in communication with the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to determine an amount of time the trigger is actuated to determine an amount of energy applied to a patient by the medical instrument.

17. The medical system of claim 8, further comprising a trigger disposed on the medical instrument and in communication with the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to register an actuation of the trigger and a release of the trigger to determine an amount of energy applied to a patient by the medical instrument.

18. The medical system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that a distal portion of the medical instrument has entered a body cavity of a patient based on measured acceleration decreasing from above a first threshold to below a second threshold.

19. The medical system of claim 8, further comprising a trigger disposed on the medical instrument and in communication with the processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that a distal portion of the medical instrument has entered a body cavity of a patient when the trigger is actuated.

20. The medical system of claim 8, further comprising a display screen, the processing circuitry further configured to:

display a representation of the medical instrument on the display screen; and

animate movement of the representation of the medical instrument based on the measured data and the correlated time.