Ultrasound system and method

• US 6,746,402 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ustuner E. Tuncay
• Original Assignee: Ustuner E. Tuncay
• Inventors: Ustuner, E. Tuncay
• Primary Examiner(s): ROSENBERGER, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US10/324,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20030125629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/443, 600/447, 600/459, 128/898
• US Class Current: 600/462
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3784 both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/00 Surgical gloves; Finger-stalls specially adapted for surgery; Devices for handling or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/00 Surgical drapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/462 characterised by constructional features of the display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A surgery dedicated ultrasound system is described. The system is used for imaging and/or guidance and/or controlling purposes. The surgeon uses and controls the system and accesses the information obtained and processed through the system while performing surgery.

Claims

1. A surgical ultrasound system comprising:

an ultrasonic probe wearable on a portion of a user'"'"'s body within a sterile operating field and operative to insonify a surgical site and to receive echoes from the surgical site; and

a display coupled via a processor with the wearable ultrasonic probe, wherein the display is selected from the group consisting of;

a display positioned within a sterile operating field during a surgery;

a display carried by an articulated arm and positioned near a sterile operating field during a surgery, said articulated arm configured to be repositioned under the direction of a user without compromising sterility of the sterile operating field; and

a wearable display.

2. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a wearable display.

3. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the wearable display is configured to worn on a human body part selected from the group consisting of:

a hand, a wrist, a forearm, and a head.

4. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the wearable display comprises eyewear.

5. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the wearable display comprises a wearable image projection device operative to project an image onto a surface.

6. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 5 wherein the surface comprises a retina surface.

7. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the wearable ultrasonic probe and the wearable display are both disposed on a structure configured and shaped to receive at least a part of a hand of a user.

8. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein the processor comprises a wearable processor.

9. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 8, wherein the wearable ultrasonic probe, the wearable processor, and the wearable display are all disposed on a structure configured and shaped to receive at least a part of a band of a user.

10. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a surface operative to present visual information, said surface positioned within the sterile operating field near a surgical site during a surgery.

11. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 10, wherein the surface is selected from the group consisting of:

a screen and a surgical drape.

12. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a visual display.

13. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 12, wherein the visual display comprises a wearable flat panel display comprising a flexible screen.

14. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 12, wherein the visual display comprises at least one Light Emitting Diode.

15. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises an audio display.

16. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 15, wherein the audio display is selected from the group consisting of:

an earphone and an audio speaker.

17. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a tactile display.

18. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 17, wherein the tactile display comprises at least one movable skin-contacting element.

19. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the wearable ultrasonic probe comprises at least one ultrasound transducer.

20. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 19, wherein the ultrasound transducer operates as an ultrasound transmitter and receiver.

21. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 19, wherein the ultrasound transducer is selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric ceramic transducer, a piezoelectric polymer transducer, a piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composite transducer, and a micromachined transducer.

22. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 19, wherein the ultrasound transducer is selected from the group consisting of:

a single element transducer, a multiple element transducer, a 1D array transducer, a 1.25D array transducer, a 1.5D array transducer, a 1.75D array transducer, and a 2D array transducer.

23. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transceiver coupled with the processor.

24. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a wearable processor.

25. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the wearable ultrasonic probe is carried by a sleeve shaped to fit over a finger of a user.

26. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 25, wherein the sleeve comprises a flexible region positioned to align with a joint of the finger of the user.

27. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, further comprising a battery, the wearable ultrasonic probe coupled with the battery.

28. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, the user interface coupled with the processor.

29. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the wearable ultrasonic probe is covered with an elastomeric material.

30. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 29, wherein the elastomeric material comprises an acoustically transparent region, the acoustically transparent region disposed adjacent a transducer element of the wearable ultrasonic probe.

31. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the display is carried by the articulated support arm.

32. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the articulated support arm and the display carried by the articulated support arm carries a sterile grasping surface during the surgery.

33. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 32, wherein the sterile grasping surface comprises a handle.

34. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 31, wherein the articulated support arm and therefore the display carried by the articulated support arm are positioned by remote control.

35. The surgical ultrasound system of claim 31, wherein the articulated support arm is mounted near an operating table and is configured to support the display in a range of user-selected positions above the operating table.

36. A method of using an ultrasound system during a surgery, the method comprising:

(a) placing a wearable ultrasound probe comprising an ultrasound transducer element of the ultrasound system onto a hand of a surgeon;

(b) acquiring echoes from a surgical site with the wearable ultrasound probe;

(c) generating display information from the echo signals; and

(d) providing the display information to the surgeon during the surgery while the surgeon'"'"'s head is positioned to view the surgical site via a display selected from the group consisting of;

a display positioned within a sterile operating field during the surgery;

a display carried by an articulated arm and positioned near a sterile operating field during the surgery, said articulated arm configured to be repositioned under the direction of the surgeon without compromising sterility of the sterile operating field; and

a wearable display.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein (d) comprises providing the display information to the surgeon as visual information.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein (d) comprises providing the display information to the surgeon visually on a surface positioned such that the surgeon can view the display and the surgical site without substantial head movement.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein (d) comprises projecting the display information onto a retina of the surgeon.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein (d) comprises providing the display information to the surgeon as audio information.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein (d) comprises providing the display information to the surgeon as tactile information.

42. The method of claim 36, further comprising performing a surgical action in response to the display information communicated to the surgeon during the surgery.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the surgical action is one of piercing, cutting and dissecting.

44. The method of claim 36, further comprising using a wearable user interface of the ultrasound system after placing the wearable ultrasound probe onto the hand of the user.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising adjusting a system parameter of the ultrasound system via the user interface.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the system parameter comprises a sensitivity level of the ultrasound system.

47. The method of claim 36, wherein the display information comprises Doppler ultrasound information.

48. The method of claim 36, wherein the wearable probe is mounted on the hand of the surgeon.

49. The method of claim 36, wherein the wearable probe is operative to hold itself in place on the hand of the surgeon during use.

50. A method of using an ultrasound system during a surgery, the method comprising:

(a) placing a wearable ultrasound probe comprising an ultrasound transducer element of the ultrasound system onto a hand of a surgeon;

(b) acquiring echoes from a surgical site with the wearable ultrasound probe while the hand of the surgeon is still able to contribute to the performance of the surgery;

(c) generating display information from the echo signals; and

(d) providing the display information to the surgeon during the surgery while the surgeon'"'"'s head is positioned to view the surgical site via a display selected from the group consisting of;

a display positioned within a sterile operating field during the surgery;

a display carried by an articulated arm and positioned near a sterile operating field during the surgery, said articulated arm configured to be repositioned under the direction of the surgeon without compromising sterility of the sterile operating field; and

a wearable display.