Method and apparatus for surgical navigation

• US 7,751,865 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Surgical Navigation Technologies, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Shaver, Scott, Hunter, Mark, Boes, Kirstin, Dukesherer, John H, Jascob, Bradley A, Martens, Todd, Yared, Nadim
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lauritzen; Amanda
• Application Number:
  US10/941,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,120 Days
• Field of Search: 600/424, 600/425, 606/130, 702/94, 702/95, 702150-153, 128/899, 128/920
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic 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 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/367 creating a 3D dataset from 2D images using position information
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 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 5/06 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 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 : the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 : involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 : involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 : involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2005/027 : wound on formers for receiving several coils with perpendicular winding axes, e.g. for antennae or inductive power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 : Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49071 : by winding or coiling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49073 : by assembling coil and core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49146 : with encapsulating, e.g., potting, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49171 : with encapsulating

Abstract

A surgical navigation system for navigating a region of a patient that may include a non-invasive dynamic reference frame and/or fiducial marker, sensor tipped instruments, and isolator circuits. The dynamic reference frame may be placed on the patient in a precise location for guiding the instruments. The dynamic reference frames may be fixedly placed on the patient. Also the dynamic reference frames may be placed to allow generally natural movements of soft tissue relative to the dynamic reference frames. Also methods are provided to determine positions of the dynamic reference frames. Anatomical landmarks may be determined intra-operatively and without access to the anatomical structure.

Claims

1. A method of navigating a procedure relative to an anatomy with a tracking system including a localizer and a tracking sensor positioned relative to the anatomy, comprising:

providing a plurality of coils in the tracking sensor in a fixed geometry;

positioning the tracking sensor at a location relative to the anatomy;

determining a position of each of the plurality of coils;

determining the position of at least one of the plurality of the coils based at least in part on the determined sensed position of the plurality of coils, wherein determining the position includes determining a geometry of each of the coils and comparing the determined geometry to the fixed geometry;

determining a position of at least a sub-plurality of the plurality of coils including a geometry closest to the fixed geometry of the plurality of coils in the tracking sensor; and

averaging the determined position for each of the plurality of coils.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving the fixed geometry of the plurality of coils at the position in a tracking system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein comparing the determined geometry to the fixed geometry includes comparing the determined geometry of the plurality of coils with the saved geometry in the tracking system.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

selecting at least one of the sub-plurality of coils determined to be at the geometry similar to the fixed geometry of the plurality of the coils provided at the position.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the position of the sensor is based substantially on the determined position of the at least one of the sub-plurality of coils including the determined geometry closest to the fixed geometry of the coils at the position.

6. A method of navigating a procedure relative to an anatomy with a tracking system including a localizer and a dynamic reference frame positioned relative to the anatomy, comprising:

providing a plurality of coils in a dynamic reference frame in a fixed geometry;

positioning the dynamic reference frame at a location relative to the anatomy;

securing the dynamic reference frame to the anatomy;

determining a position of each of the plurality of coils;

determining the position of at least one of the plurality of the coils based at least in part on the determined sensed position of the plurality of coils, wherein determining the position includes determining a geometry of each of the coils and comparing the determined geometry to the fixed geometry;

determining a position of at least a sub-plurality of the plurality of coils including a geometry closest to the fixed geometry of the plurality of coils in the dynamic reference frame; and

averaging the determined position for each of the sub-plurality of coils.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising saving the fixed geometry of the plurality of coils in a tracking system;

wherein comparing the determined geometry to the fixed geometry includes comparing the determined geometry of the plurality of coils with the saved geometry in the tracking system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting at least one of the sub-plurality of coils determined to be at the geometry similar to the fixed geometry of the plurality of the coils provided.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the position of the dynamic reference frame is based substantially on the determined position of the at least one of the sub-plurality of coils including the determined geometry closest to the fixed geometry of the coils.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying the average determined position on a display device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying the average determined position includes superimposing the average determined position on images of a patient space.

12. A method of navigating a procedure relative to an anatomy with a tracking system including a localizer and a tracking sensor positioned relative to the anatomy, comprising:

gathering image data of a patient space;

providing a plurality of coils in the tracking sensor in a fixed geometry;

positioning the tracking sensor at a location relative to the anatomy;

determining a position of each of the plurality of coils;

determining the position of at least one of the plurality of the coils based at least in part on the determined sensed position of the plurality of coils, wherein determining the position includes determining a geometry of each of the coils and comparing the determined geometry to the fixed geometry;

determining a position of at least a sub-plurality of the plurality of coils including a geometry closest to the fixed geometry of the plurality of coils in the tracking sensor;

averaging the determined position for each of the sub-plurality of coils; and

displaying the averaged determined position of the sub-plurality of coils on a display device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising saving the fixed geometry of the plurality of coils at the position in a tracking system;

wherein comparing the determined geometry to the fixed geometry includes comparing the determined geometry of the plurality of coils with the saved geometry in the tracking system.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising registering the gathered image data to the patient space.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

selecting at least one of the sub-plurality of coils determined to be at the geometry similar to the fixed geometry of the plurality of the coils provided at the position.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the position of the tracking sensor is based substantially on the determined position of the at least one of the selected sub-plurality of coils including the determined geometry closest to the fixed geometry of the coils at the position.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying the average determined position of the at least one of the selected sub-plurality of coils.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying the average determined position includes superimposing the average determined position on the gathered image data of the patient space.