Medical instrument and method for use with computer-assisted image guided surgery
First Claim
1. A medical instrument with at least one electrically energizable energy emitter array thereon for use with a computer controlled surgical navigation system employing an energy-detecting digitizer array to track positions of the instrument in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point, said instrument comprising:
- a tool body;
at least one instrument attachment removably coupled to said tool body, said at least one instrument attachment including at least one tool tip and at least one emitter coupled to said at least one instrument attachment;
an attachment member mountable about said instrument attachment and said tool body for removably coupling said at least one tool tip to said tool body;
at least one sensor positioned to be operated in response to said tool tip being changed by either coupling to or removal from said tool body;
a controller operatively connected to said sensor to detect when said sensor has been operated and said tool tip has been changed; and
an indicator responsive to said controller for communicating to a user of said instrument that the tool tip of said instrument has been changed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for use with a surgical navigation system. The apparatus comprises a tool body and tool attachment onto which emitters are fixedly mounted. At least one tool tip is removably coupled with the tool body. An electrical sensor is positioned to be operated when the tool tip is changed either by coupling the tip to or removing the tip from the tool body. A controller responsive to the operation of switch detects when the tip has been changed. An alarm responsive to the controller indicates that the tool tip has been removed or changed so that the tip can be recalibrated relative to a known position in the surgical navigation system.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A medical instrument with at least one electrically energizable energy emitter array thereon for use with a computer controlled surgical navigation system employing an energy-detecting digitizer array to track positions of the instrument in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point, said instrument comprising:
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a tool body;
at least one instrument attachment removably coupled to said tool body, said at least one instrument attachment including at least one tool tip and at least one emitter coupled to said at least one instrument attachment;
an attachment member mountable about said instrument attachment and said tool body for removably coupling said at least one tool tip to said tool body;
at least one sensor positioned to be operated in response to said tool tip being changed by either coupling to or removal from said tool body;
a controller operatively connected to said sensor to detect when said sensor has been operated and said tool tip has been changed; and
an indicator responsive to said controller for communicating to a user of said instrument that the tool tip of said instrument has been changed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24)
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13. A method for monitoring a location of an instrument having at least one emitter array in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point for use in a medical procedure employing a surgical navigation system with a computer controller and a digitizer array, said method comprising:
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coupling an instrument attachment to a tool body with an attachment member mountable about said instrument attachment and said tool body, said instrument attachment removably coupled to said tool body and including a tool tip and at least one emitter coupled to said instrument attachment for communication with the digitizer array;
operating a sensor mounted on said tool body in response to said coupling step, said sensor being in communication with the controller;
detecting the operation of said sensor by the controller; and
delivering an indication to a user of the instrument upon coupling or uncoupling of said tool tip from said tool body that said tool tip requires recalibration. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for use in performing surgical and medical procedures with an instrument or tool with a tool body and tool tip and a computer controlled surgical navigation system employing an energy detecting array to track positions of the instrument in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point, said system comprising:
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a tool body;
an instrument attachment removably coupled to said tool body and including a tool tip and means for emitting coupled to said instrument attachment;
means for detecting location of said tool tip, said emitting means capable of communicating with said location detecting means;
means for coupling said instrument attachment, including said tool tip, with said tool body, said means for coupling mountable about said instrument attachment and said tool body;
means for detecting coupling or uncoupling of said tool tip from said tool body;
means for delivering an indication of coupling or uncoupling of said tool tip to a computer-controlled display; and
means for recalibrating the location of said tool tip in response to the indication. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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25. A medical instrument with at least one energizable energy emitter array thereon for use with a computer controlled surgical navigation system employing an energy-detecting digitizer array to track positions of the instrument in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point, said instrument comprising:
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an elongated tool body having a distal end with a chuck positioned thereon;
an elongated, hollow cage configured to removably receive the tool body such that the chuck is positioned at a distal end of the cage, the cage including at least one emitter;
a tool attachment removably mounted to the distal end of the cage and surrounding the chuck, the tool attachment including a tool tip removably insertable into the chuck;
at least one sensor positioned at the distal end of the cage;
a removable, ring-like attachment member that encircles the tool attachment and chuck;
a controller operatively connected to said sensor to detect when said sensor has been operated and said tool tip has been changed; and
an indicator responsive to said controller for communicating to a user of said instrument that the tool tip of said instrument has been changed, wherein the ring-like attachment member engages the tool attachment and chuck to secure the tool tip to the tool body and wherein the at least one sensor is activated during the engagement of the tool attachment and chuck to indicate coupling of the tool tip to said tool body. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A medical instrument with at least one energizable energy emitter array thereon for use with a computer controlled surgical navigation system employing an energy-detecting digitizer array to track positions of the instrument in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point, said instrument comprising:
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an elongated tool body;
an elongated, hollow cage configured to removably receive and encircle the tool body such that a distal end of the tool body is positioned at a distal end of the cage, the cage including a radially extending arm having at least one emitter thereon;
a tool attachment removably mounted to the distal end of the cage and surrounding the chuck, the tool attachment including a tool tip removably insertable into the chuck;
at least one sensor positioned at the distal end of the cage;
a removable, ring-like attachment member that encircles the tool attachment and chuck and is configured to secure the tool tip and engage the sensor;
a controller operatively connected to said sensor to detect when said sensor has been operated and said tool tip has been changed; and
an indicator responsive to said controller for communicating to a user of said instrument that the tool tip of said instrument has been changed. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of monitoring a location of an instrument having at least one emitter array in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point for use in a medical procedure employing a surgical navigation system with a computer controller and a digitizer array, said method comprising:
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removably inserting a tool body into a hollow cage such that a distal end of the tool body is positioned at a distal end of the cage;
sliding a ring-like attachment member over an instrument attachment, including a tool tip, and the distal end of the tool body to secure the tool tip to the tool body while substantially simultaneously engaging a sensor positioned at the distal end of the cage, the instrument attachment including at least one emitter coupled to said instrument attachment for communication with the digitizer array, and the sensor being in communication with the controller;
detecting engagement and disengagement of the sensor by the controller; and
delivering, upon securing the tool tip to the tool body, an indication to a user of the instrument that the tool tip requires recalibration. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A medical instrument with at least one energizable energy tracker array thereon for use with a computer controlled surgical navigation system employing an energy-detecting digitizer array to track positions of the instrument in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point, said instrument comprising:
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an elongated tool body;
an elongated, hollow cage configured to removably receive and encircle the tool body such that a distal end of the tool body is positioned at a distal end of the cage, the cage including a radially extending arm having at least one tracker thereon;
a tool attachment removably mounted to the distal end of the cage and surrounding a chuck, the tool attachment including a tool tip removably insertable into the chuck;
at least one sensor positioned at the distal end of the cage;
a removable, ring-like attachment member that encircles the tool attachment and chuck and is configured to secure the tool tip and engage the sensor;
a controller operatively connected to said sensor to detect when said sensor has been operated and said tool tip has been changed; and
an indicator responsive to said controller for communicating to a user of said instrument that the tool tip of said instrument has been changed.
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46. A medical instrument with at least one detectable tracker thereon for use with a computer controlled surgical navigation system configured to track positions of the instrument in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point, said instrument comprising:
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a tool body;
at least one instrument attachment removably coupled to said tool body, said at least one instrument attachment including at least one tool tip and at least one tracker coupled to said at least one instrument attachment;
an attachment member mountable about said instrument attachment and said tool body for removably coupling said at least one tool tip to said tool body;
at least one sensor positioned to be operated in response to said tool tip being changed by either coupling to or removal from said tool body;
a controller operatively connected to said sensor to detect when said sensor has been operated and said tool tip has been changed; and
an indicator responsive to said controller for communicating to a user of said instrument that the tool tip of said instrument has been changed. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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49. A medical instrument with at least one detectable tracker thereon for use with a computer controlled surgical navigation system configured to track positions of the instrument in three dimensional space relative to a known reference point, said instrument comprising:
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an elongated tool body;
an elongated, hollow cage configured to removably receive and encircle the tool body such that a distal end of the tool body is positioned at a distal end of the cage, the cage including a radially extending arm having at least one tracker thereon;
a tool attachment removably mounted to the distal end of the cage and surrounding a chuck, the tool attachment including a tool tip removably insertable into the chuck;
at least one sensor positioned at the distal end of the cage;
a removable, ring-like attachment member that encircles the tool attachment and chuck and is configured to secure the tool tip and engage the sensor;
a controller operatively connected to said sensor to detect when said sensor has been operated and said tool tip has been changed; and
an indicator responsive to said controller for communicating to a user of said instrument that the tool tip of said instrument has been changed. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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Specification