Apparatus for neurosurgical stereotactic procedures
First Claim
1. A stereotactic system comprising:
- an imaging display system for displaying images;
an image fiducial selector coupled to said imaging system for selecting fiducials on an image displayed on said display system;
a target selector coupled to said imaging system for selecting a target on an image displayed on said display system;
an articulated arm terminating with a probe and coupled to said imaging system, said articulated arm providing spatial coordinates for said probe with reference to said imaging system so that a position associated with said probe is displayed on said displayed image;
a patient fiducial selector coupled to said imaging system and said articulated arm for selecting fiducials on a patient that correspond to said fiducials selected by said image fiducial selector;
a coregistration processor for coregistering said selected patient fiducials to said selected image fiducials so that said coordinates provided by said articulated arm may be matched to said displayed images whereby a path from said displayed probe position to said selected target may be displayed on said displayed image; and
a holder separate from the articulated arm and located at a desired position in proximity to a patient, said holder supporting said probe and being pivotable at said desired position with respect to said patient to allow a surgeon to evaluate and establish a desired path as displayed on said displayed image between said desired position and said selected target, said holder being lockable to fix said holder supporting said probe at a desired orientation directing said probe along said desired path, and thereafter, upon removing said probe, said holder adapted to receive an instrument, said holder providing independent of said imaging system, support and guidance for said instrument so that said instrument follows said desired path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method are disclosed for displaying a path between a selected target and selected points on a patient'"'"'s skull and for guiding surgical instruments along any selected path. The system is comprised of an image display system, an articulated arm and probe, and a stereotactic system. The sub-systems are coupled to one another so that the articulated probe may be used to select patient fiducial points that correspond to selected image fiducial points. Using these points, the image display system coregisters the external locations to the displayed images so that the probe condition may be displayed with the displayed images. The system further permits the identification of a selected target within a patient'"'"'s brain and to project a path from the external position to the target prior to the performance of a craniotomy. After evaluation of the path, a surgeon may lock the stereotactic system in place to preserve a selected surgical path and to guide instruments along that path. A method of utilizing the system to perform such surgical procedures is also described.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A stereotactic system comprising:
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an imaging display system for displaying images; an image fiducial selector coupled to said imaging system for selecting fiducials on an image displayed on said display system; a target selector coupled to said imaging system for selecting a target on an image displayed on said display system; an articulated arm terminating with a probe and coupled to said imaging system, said articulated arm providing spatial coordinates for said probe with reference to said imaging system so that a position associated with said probe is displayed on said displayed image; a patient fiducial selector coupled to said imaging system and said articulated arm for selecting fiducials on a patient that correspond to said fiducials selected by said image fiducial selector; a coregistration processor for coregistering said selected patient fiducials to said selected image fiducials so that said coordinates provided by said articulated arm may be matched to said displayed images whereby a path from said displayed probe position to said selected target may be displayed on said displayed image; and a holder separate from the articulated arm and located at a desired position in proximity to a patient, said holder supporting said probe and being pivotable at said desired position with respect to said patient to allow a surgeon to evaluate and establish a desired path as displayed on said displayed image between said desired position and said selected target, said holder being lockable to fix said holder supporting said probe at a desired orientation directing said probe along said desired path, and thereafter, upon removing said probe, said holder adapted to receive an instrument, said holder providing independent of said imaging system, support and guidance for said instrument so that said instrument follows said desired path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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- 10. The stereotactic apparatus of 7 wherein the stereotactic system is removably attachable to patient at the desired position.
Specification