System and method for augmentation of surgery

• US 5,402,801 A
• Filed: 04/28/1994
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Taylor, Russell H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/234,825
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 128/6, 128/898, 606/1, 606/11, 606/12, 606/19, 606/46, 606/97
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00203 with speech control or speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3916 Bone tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3945 Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/5025 with a counter-balancing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/0275 Universal joints, e.g. Hooke, Cardan, ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/04 by rotating at least one arm, excluding the head movement itself, e.g. cylindrical coordinate type or polar coordinate type
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37074 : Projection device, monitor, track tool, workpiece form, process on display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40418 : Presurgical planning, on screen indicate regions to be operated on
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40609 : Camera to monitor end effector as well as object to be handled
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45123 : Electrogoniometer, neuronavigator, medical robot used by surgeon to operate
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45166 : Tomography

Abstract

The system and method includes a manipulator for manipulating a surgical instrument relative to a patient'"'"'s body and, a position sensor for sensing the position of the surgical instrument relative to the patient'"'"'s body. The manipulator can be manually or computer actuated and can have brakes to limit movement. In a preferred embodiment, orthogonal only motion between members of the manipulator is provided. The position sensor includes beacons connected to the patient and manipulator or surgical instrument and, a three dimensional beacon sensor adapted to sense the location and position of the beacons. Redundant joint sensors on the manipulator may also be provided. The system and method uses a computer to actively interact with the surgeon and can use various different input and output devices and modes.

Claims

1. A method of tracking position of a surgical instrument inside a patient'"'"'s body comprising steps of:

inserting a first surgical instrument into a patient'"'"'s body, the first instrument having a visual target thereon;

inserting a separate second surgical instrument into the patient'"'"'s body, the second instrument having means for transmitting an image out of the patient'"'"'s body; and

moving at least one of the surgical instruments automatically based upon movement of the other surgical instrument to substantially continuously transmit an image of the visual target by the means for transmitting.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of moving comprises keeping the visual target at a predetermined position in the image.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the visual target is an energy emitting beacon and the step of moving comprises a computer connected to the second instrument and, the means for transmitting automatically moves the second instrument based upon energy from the beacon being viewed by the means for transmitting.

4. A method of performing surgery inside a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising steps of:

inserting a first surgical instrument into a patient'"'"'s body, the first instrument having a visual target thereon;

inserting a second surgical instrument into a patient'"'"'s body, the second instrument having means for transmitting an image out of the patient'"'"'s body;

placing the first instrument at a selected position relative to the patient'"'"'s anatomy;

observing, by a controller connected to the means for transmitting, an image of the visual target that is transmitted by the means for transmitting; and

moving, by the controller, at least one of the surgical instruments automatically based upon an observed position of the visual target.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein the visual target includes at least one beacon that emits energy, the step of observing having the movement controller observe the energy emitted by the beacon.

6. A method as in claim 4 wherein the step of moving automatically moves the surgical instrument over a path of previously observed positions.

7. A method as in claim 4 further comprising determining a position of a selected anatomical feature of the patient'"'"'s anatomy by the controller based upon, at least partially, the image of the visual target observed by the controller.

8. A method as in claim 7 further comprising the controller modifying, through image processing, images transmitted by the means for transmitting based upon the position of the selected anatomical feature.

9. A method as in claim 7 further comprising the controller automatically determining a path for the first surgical instrument to travel from a present position of the first surgical instrument to the selected anatomical feature.

10. A method of surgery comprising steps of:

inserting a first surgical instrument into a patient'"'"'s body, the first instrument having a target thereon;

inserting a separate second surgical instrument into the patient'"'"'s body, the second instrument having means for transmitting an image out of the patient'"'"'s body;

transmitting an image from inside the patient'"'"'s body by the transmitting means to a controller, the image including the target; and

automatically moving, by the controller, the second surgical instrument when the target is moved to maintain position of the target at a desired location in the image transmitted by the transmitting means.

11. A method as in claim 10 wherein the target includes at least one beacon that emits energy, the step of automatically moving comprising the controller monitoring the position of the energy emitted from the beacon in the image transmitted by the transmitting means.