Medical mapping system

• US 6,810,281 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: endoVia Medical, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rogers, Gary, Brock, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US10/034,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 600/102, 600/407, 600/410, 600/424, 600/427, 600/436, 600/473, 600/549, 606/130
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00088 using thermistors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 : Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 : the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/416 : the spleen
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 : lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4893 : Nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 : using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40144 : Force sensation feedback from slave

Abstract

Apparatus and method for sensing at an anatomic body site and mapping or transforming the sensor signal into various forms of virtual image and feedback signals, having particular application in assisting surgeons and other operators during a medical procedure. In one embodiment, a medical system is provided that includes a medical implement, a manipulator controllable by an operator for control of the medical implement at an anatomic body site and a sensing device for sensing a non-visible field associated with a body structure at the site. A controller, intercoupling the sensing device and the manipulator, includes a mapping component for translating characteristics of the sensed field signal into a tactile feedback signal to the manipulator to warn the surgeon that he is approaching this structure with the implement. Alternatively or in addition, a virtual image of the body structure is displayed, separate or preferably together with a visual image of the site, to assist a surgeon in manipulating a medical implement.

Claims

1. A system for generating a display of a body structure and for providing haptic feedback to a medical practitioner, said system comprising:

a master station that includes a user interface;

a slave station that includes a medical implement;

a sensor on the medical implement positionable at an internal body site for sensing a non-visible field of a body structure at the site;

a measurement system responsive to said sensor for providing a sensor signal indicative of the field strength;

a controller intercoupling the master and slave stations and responsive to manipulations at the user interface by said medical practitioner to control said medical implement;

said controller transforming the sensor signal into virtual image data representative of the body structure;

a source of visual image data for the site; and

a display system enabling combined display of the visual image data and the virtual image data for observation by the medical practitioner at the master station;

said controller transforming the sensor signal into a tactile feedback signal, said user interface receiving said feedback signal for providing a tactile response to the medical practitioner at the user interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-visible field is at least one of an electrical field, a thermal field, an infrared field and a radioactive field.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is at least one of a voltage sensor, a thermal sensor, an infrared sensor, and a radioactive sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensed field is associated with at least one of a nerve, nerve bundle and vascular vessel.

5. The system of claim 1, further including:

a stimulator emitting a stimulation signal for at least one of enhancing and generating the field.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the stimulator emits at least one predefined stimulation signal for an associated body site.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes, for at least one select site, an associated signature value of the virtual image data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual image data defines a boundary of the field.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the tactile response is a function of the magnitude of the sensor signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed at a distal end of the medical implement.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the medical implement includes a tool used to perform a medical procedure at the site.

12. The system of claim 1, further including:

a hand-engageable user interface providing input to a computer for positioning of the implement.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes:

modeling data for associating the virtual image data with locations at the site.