System and method for augmentation of endoscopic surgery

• US 7,447,537 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Funda, Janez, LaRose, David Arthur, Taylor, Russell Highsmith
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cattungal; Sanjay
• Application Number:
  US09/595,186
• Time in Patent Office: 3,063 Days
• Field of Search: 600/425, 600/407, 600/111, 600/160, 600/166, 600/109, 600/424, 600/102, 600/117, 600/118, 348/65, 348/77, 606/130
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000094 extracting biological structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00194 adapted for three-dimensional imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00203 with speech control or speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3945 Active visible markers, e.g. light emitting diodes
• 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 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 : Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/0275 : Universal joints, e.g. Hooke, Cardan, ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/04 : by rotating at least one arm, excluding the head movement itself, e.g. cylindrical coordinate type or polar coordinate type
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37074 : Projection device, monitor, track tool, workpiece form, process on display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40418 : Presurgical planning, on screen indicate regions to be operated on
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40609 : Camera to monitor end effector as well as object to be handled
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45123 : Electrogoniometer, neuronavigator, medical robot used by surgeon to operate
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45166 : Tomography

Abstract

Image processing is used to determine information about the position of a designated object, particularly where the object is difficult to view or locate. In particular, use in endoscopic surgery can determine positional information about an anatomical feature within a patient'"'"'s body. The positional information is then used to position or reposition a surgical instrument in relation to the designated object. An instrument placed in relation to the designated object is capable of sending information about the object to a computer. Image processing generates images and determines positional information, which can be used as input to robotic devices or rendered to a human user.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the position of a surgical instrument inside a patient'"'"'s body the comprising steps of:

inserting a first surgical instrument into the patient'"'"'s body, the instrument having a means for transmitting an image out of the patient'"'"'s body;

designating an anatomical feature of interest;

transmitting an image of the designated anatomical feature out of the patient'"'"'s body;

determining precise 3D positional information about the designated anatomical feature of interest relative to the first surgical instrument;

using the positional information to reposition the first surgical instrument to a desired positional relationship relative to the anatomical feature, where the positional information about the anatomical feature of interest relative to the first surgical instrument is obtained by manipulating a graphics object superimposed on an image of the anatomical feature.

2. A method of controlling the position of a surgical instrument inside a patient'"'"'s body, as in claim 1, where the positional information about the feature of interest relative to the first surgical instrument is obtained by means of image processing.

3. A method of controlling the position of a surgical instrument inside a patient'"'"'s body, as in claim 1, where the positional information is used to reposition a second surgical instrument.

4. A method of controlling the position of a surgical instrument inside a patient'"'"'s body, as in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

designating a desired position of an anatomical feature relative to images transmitted out of the patient'"'"'s body by the first surgical instrument;

moving the first surgical instrument to a vantage point form which the designated anatomical feature is at the desired position in images transmitted by the first surgical instrument, the first surgical instrument remaining at a constant distance from the designated anatomical feature.

5. A method of controlling the position of a surgical instrument inside a patient'"'"'s body, as in claim 1, further comprising steps of:

designating a desired direction of motion of an anatomical feature relative to images transmitted out of the patient'"'"'s body by the first surgical instrument;

moving the first surgical instrument so that it remains at a constant distance from the designated anatomical feature while causing the motion of the designated feature in images transmitted from the first surgical instrument to move in the desired direction.

6. A method of controlling the position of a surgical instrument inside a patient'"'"'s body, comprising steps of:

inserting a first surgical instrument into the patient'"'"'s body, the instrument having a means for transmitting an image out of the patient'"'"'s body;

designating an increment of motion along an axis of view of the first surgical instrument, the axis defined by a line from the vantage point of the surgical instrument to the point on the patient'"'"'s anatomy that appears in the center of the image transmitted by the first surgical instrument;

moving the first surgical instrument by the designated increment of motion along the axis of view, so that the point on the patient'"'"'s anatomy appearing in the center of the image remains unchanged.