Surgical navigation systems including reference and localization frames

• US 6,490,467 B1
• Filed: 06/26/1998
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Surgical Navigation Technologies, Inc. (Medtronic Plc), St. Louis University
• Original Assignee: Surgical Navigation Technologies, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bass, Daniel, Wiedenmaier, Thomas, Pope, Todd, Foley, Kevin T., Bucholz, Richard D., Smith, Kurt R., Wiedenmaier, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mercader, Eleni Mantis
• Application Number:
  US09/105,067
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/426, 600/427, 600/429, 600/411, 600/433-435, 606/130
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1703 using imaging means, e.g. by X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1739 specially adapted for particular parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• 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 2034/207 Divots for calibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3945 Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• 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 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0073 by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections A61B5/0066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 : Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1077 : Measuring of profiles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 : Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/501 : for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 : combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 : Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 : involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4227 : characterised by straps, belts, cuffs or braces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 : for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 : for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 : with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A system for use during a medical or surgical procedure on a body. The system generates an image representing the position of one or more body elements during the procedure using scans generated by a scanner prior or during the procedure. The image data set has reference points for each of the body elements, the reference points of a particular body element having a fixed spatial relation to the particular body element. The system includes an apparatus for identifying, during the procedure, the relative position of each of the reference points of each of the body elements to be displayed. The system also includes a processor for modifying the image data set according to the identified relative position of each of the reference points during the procedure, as identified by the identifying apparatus, said processor generating a displaced image data set representing the position of the body elements during the procedure. The system also includes a display utilizing the displaced image data set generated by the processor, illustrating the relative to the system are also disclosed. Also disclosed are devices for use with a surgical navigation system having a sensor array which is in communication with the device to identify its position. The device may be a reference frame for attachment of a body part of the patient, such as a cranial reference are frame for attachment to the head or a spine reference are frame for attachment to the spine. The device may also be a localization frame for positioning an instrument relative to a body part, such as a localization biopsy guide frame for positioning a biopsy needle, a localization drill guide assembly for positioning a drill bit, a localization drill yoke assembly for positioning a drill, or a ventriculostomy probe for positioning a catheter.

Claims

1. A device for guiding a flexible instrument, the device being for use with a surgical navigation system having a sensor array which is in communication with the device to identify the position of the device, the device comprising:

a handle having reference points for communicating with the sensor array to identify the position of the device; and

a guide tube mounted to the handle for receiving and guiding the flexible instrument, the guide tube having a hollow interior, a slot located along its length for receiving the flexible instrument into the hollow interior, and an opening at one end for passage of the flexible instrument.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the end of the guide tube having the opening is collinear with the reference points such that a linear axis is defined therebetween.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the distance between the end of the guide tube having the opening and reference points is known such that the processor can determine the position of the end of the guide tube having the opening based on the position of the reference points.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the flexible instrument is a catheter.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the slot extends radially into a cross section of the tube exposing the hollow interior therethrough.

6. A device for guiding a flexible instrument, the device being for use with a surgical navigation system having a sensor array which is in communication with the device to identify the position of the device, the device comprising:

a handle having reference points for communicating with the sensor array to identify the position of the device; and

a guide tube for guiding a flexible instrument, the guide tube having a first end, a second end, and a hollow interior, the first end of the guide tube being mounted on the handle, the second end of the guide tube having an opening leading to the hollow interior, the guide tube having a slot located intermediately along its length for receiving a flexible instrument, wherein the second end of the guide tub is located a known distance from the reference points and is collinear with the reference points such that the processor can determine the position of the second end of the guide tube based on the position of the reference points.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the flexible instrument is a catheter.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the slot extends radially into a cross section of the tube exposing the hollow interior therethrough.

9. A device for guiding a flexible instrument, the device being for use with a surgical navigation system having a sensor array which is in communication with the device to identify the position of the device, the device comprising:

a handle having a bore therethrough for receiving a support shaft, the handle having reference points for communicating with the sensor array to identify the position of the device;

a support shaft extending into the bore of the handle at one end; and

a hollow guide tube for receiving and guiding the instrument, the guide tube having a first end and a second end and a slot located intermediately along its length for receiving the flexible instrument, wherein the first end of the guide tube is mounted to the other end of the support shaft and the second end of the guide tube is collinear with the reference points such that a linear axis is defined therebetween and wherein the distance between the second end of the guide tube and the reference points is known such that the processor can determine the position of the second end of the guide tube based on the position of the reference points.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the flexible instrument is a catheter.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the slot extends radially into a cross section of the tube exposing the hollow interior therethrough.