Rotating and pivoting magnet for magnetic navigation

• US 7,966,059 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stereotaxis, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stereotaxis, Inc.
• Inventors: Burgett, Seth, Creighton, Francis M. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera; Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US11/699,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20070146106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 600424-427, 335296-306, 128/899
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/732 arranged around the patient, e.g. in a gantry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0278 for generating uniform fields, focusing, deflecting electrically charged particles for magnetic separation by Lorentz force B03C1/023; specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/383

Abstract

A system for magnetically navigating a medical device in an operating region within the body of a patient. The system includes a magnet having a front field projecting from the front of the magnet sufficient to project a magnetic field into the operating region in the patient. The magnet is mounted for movement between a navigation position in which the magnet is located adjacent to the patient with the front of the magnetic generally facing the operating region, and an imaging position in which the magnet is spaced from the patient and the front generally faces away from the operating region.

Claims

1. A system for magnetically navigating a medical device in an operating region within the body of a patient, the system comprising:

two or more magnets each having a magnetic field projecting from the front of the magnet, which collectively are sufficient to apply a magnetic field of a selected direction in an operating region in the patient;

a magnet support for each of the two or more magnets, the magnet supports being pivotable between an active position near the patient and an inactive position away from the patient,

each of the two or more magnetics being rotatable about the patient to maintain the magnitude of the magnetic field, and further being capable of translation towards or away from the patient to allow the two or more magnets to be centered around the operating region of the patient, the two or more magnets being movable between a first position of maximum clockwise rotation about the patient and a second position of maximum counter-clockwise rotation about the patient; and

an X-ray imaging system proximate to the two or more magnets, the X-ray imaging system being capable of a predetermined range of rotation about the patient to provide X-ray images of the operating region concurrent with operation of the two or more magnets, wherein the rotation of the two or more magnets to a maximum position interferes with the range of rotation of the imaging system in at least one maximum position.

2. A magnet system for applying a magnetic field of selected direction to an operating region inside a patient on a support, to control a magnetic medical object in the operating region, the magnet system comprising:

two or more magnets, each on a magnet support, and each being movable with respect to its magnet support to rotate about the patient between first and second maximum positions to control the direction of a magnetic field for controlling the magnetic medical object in the operating region in the patient, and each being capable of translation towards or away from the patient to allow the two or more magnets to be centered around the operating region of the patient, the magnet supports being mounted on a pivoting base so that the magnet supports can be moved between active and inactive positions by the pivoting of the base,

an X-ray imaging system proximate to the two or more magnets, the X-ray imaging system having a range of movement about the patient to obtain X-ray images of the operating region; and

wherein the two or more magnets can be rotated about the patient to prevent obstruction of the imaging system'"'"'s range of movement, while maintaining the magnitude of the magnetic field in a selected direction in the operating region, the rotation of the two or more magnets to a maximum position interfering with the range of rotation of the imaging system in at least one maximum position.

3. A magnet system for applying a magnetic field of selected direction to an operating region within the body of a patient, the magnet system comprising

two or more magnets;

a support for mounting each of the two or more magnets, the supports being movable to rotate the two or more magnets between first and second maximums about the patient for changing the position and orientation of the two or more magnets to change the direction of the magnetic field applied to the operating region, wherein the supports are moveable for rotating each of the two or more magnets about a first axis that rotates about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and translating each of the two or more magnets towards or away from the patient, the two or more magnet supports being mounted on a pivoting base, such that the magnet supports may be moved between an active and inactive position by the pivoting of the base; and

an X-ray imaging system capable of a range of rotation about the patient and within the space between the two or more magnets, wherein the two or more magnets may be rotated to provide for an increased range of rotation for the X-ray imaging system while also maintaining the magnitude of the applied magnetic field

wherein the two or more magnets are further capable of translation towards or away from the patient to allow the two or more magnets to be centered around the operating region of the patient, and wherein the rotation of the two or more magnets to a maximum position interferes with the range of rotation of the imaging system in at least one maximum position.

4. A magnet system for applying a magnetic field of selected direction to an operating region within the body of a patient, the magnet system comprising:

an X-ray imaging system comprising a range of movement about the patient to obtain X-ray images of the operating region;

two or more magnets sufficient for applying a magnetic field in a selected direction in the operating region of a patient;

a support for mounting each of the two or more magnets, the supports being movable to rotate the one or more magnets about the patient between first and second maximums to change the position and orientation of the magnets to change the direction of magnetic field applied to the operating region in the patient, the magnets being movable between a first maximum rotation position in which the imaging system may be moved to face the left side of the patient, and a second maximum rotation position in which the imaging system may be moved to face the right side of the patient;

the two or more magnets being configured to maintain the magnitude of the magnetic field applied in a selected direction at any point of rotation between the first and second maximum rotation positions;

the two or more magnets further being capable of translation towards or away from the patient to allow the two or more magnets to be centered around the operating region of the patient;

the supports being mounted on a pivoting base so that the supports may be moved between an active and inactive position by the pivoting of the base wherein the rotation of the two or more magnets to a maximum position interferes with the range of rotation of the imaging system in at least one maximum position.

5. A magnet system for applying a magnetic field of a selected direction to a region within a subject body, the magnet system comprising:

an X-ray imaging system having a range of movement about the patient to obtain X-ray images of the region;

a plurality of supports, each of which provides for a mounting of a magnet that permits rotation of the magnet about the support;

at least one magnet on each support configured to apply a magnetic field of a selected direction while moving relative to the support between a first position and second position of maximum rotation about the subject body; and

wherein the plurality of supports are movable to rotate the magnets about the patient while maintaining the selected magnetic field direction while being moveable to provide clearance for the X-ray imaging system to move about the patient, such that the X-ray imaging system can obtain images of the subject body from any position in its range of movement concurrent with the operation of the magnets on the plurality of supports.

6. The magnet system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of supports are further movable to translate towards the patient to allow the magnets on the plurality of supports to be centered around the operating region of the patient.

7. The magnet system of claim 6, wherein the range of movement of the magnets on the plurality of supports between maximum positions interferes with the range of rotation of the imaging system.

8. The magnet system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of magnet supports are mounted on a pivoting base, and wherein the magnet supports are movable between an active and inactive position by pivoting of the base.

9. The magnet system of claim 8, further comprising a curved rail on each of the plurality of supports, wherein the magnets on the plurality of supports are mounted to the curved rail to permit movement of the magnets along to the rail for providing rotation about the patient.