Magnetic catheter navigation

• US 6,783,536 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Original Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Inventors: Birkenbach, Rainer, Vilsmeier, Stefan, Witte, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): REIP, DAVID OWEN
• Application Number:
  US10/134,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20030114778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 128/899, 600/117, 600/145, 600/424, 600/585, 606/130, 606/129
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3954 magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• 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 5/031 Intracranial pressure
• 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 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0127 Magnetic means; Magnetic markers

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for maneuvering a catheter into the interior of a body, comprising a support stiletto (5) which may be inserted into the catheter tube (1) and which sustains the shape of said catheter tube (1) as it penetrates into the interior of the body, wherein a position-indicating magnetic tracking portion (7, 8, 9, 10) is arranged on said support stiletto (5) which may be detected by means of a magnetic tracking-based navigation portion (11, 12).

Claims

1. A device for maneuvering a catheter into the interior of a body, comprising

a support stiletto that may be inserted into a catheter tube and that sustains the shape of said catheter tube as it penetrates into the interior of the body, and

a position-indicating magnetic tracking means arranged on said support stiletto which may be detected by means of a magnetic tracking-based navigation means,

wherein said magnetic tracking means comprises at least two miniature coils that are spatially orientated differently.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a first coil is arranged on the area of said stiletto facing away from the tip, while a second coil is arranged on the tip of said stiletto.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a pair of coils that are spatially orientated differently are arranged at the end of said stiletto away from the tip.

4. The device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said pair of coils are arranged in or on a grip of said stiletto.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stiletto is connected to said navigation means for transferring signals or energy by means of a cable.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the navigation means, and wherein said stiletto comprises a means for wireless signal exchange with said navigation means.

7. The device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said stiletto further comprises an energy supply of its own.

8. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stiletto is designed as a disposable item together with the magnetic tracking means.

9. The device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said stiletto and said magnetic tracking means are sterilely packed together with or separate from said catheter tube.

10. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said catheter is a head or brain catheter.

11. A device for maneuvering a catheter into the interior of a body, comprising

a support stiletto that may be inserted into a catheter tube and that sustains the shape of said catheter tube as it penetrates into the interior of the body,

a magnetic, tracking-based navigation means,

a position-indicating magnetic tracking means arranged on said support stiletto that may be detected by means of said magnetic, tracking-based navigation means, and

a reference sensor that is fixedly attached to the part of the body into which the catheter is inserted and that is detectable by said navigation means.

12. The device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said catheter is a head or brain catheter, and said reference sensor is fixed to the upper jaw.

13. The device as set forth in claim 12, wherein said reference sensor is fixed to a tooth of the upper jaw.

14. The device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said reference sensor is removably fixed by means of an adaptor attached to the upper jaw or tooth.