Automatic tool marking

• US 9,131,957 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gyrus Acmi (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Skarbnik, Nikolay, Navve, Adi, Finkman, Shai
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): LYNCH, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US13/610,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/395 with marking agent for marking skin or other tissue
• 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 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/92 coded with colour
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/94 coded with symbols, e.g. text
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers

Abstract

Surgical apparatus, including a trocar having a tubular member with a tubular member distal end and a tubular member proximal end. The apparatus further includes a tool having a tool proximal end and a tool distal end. The tool is insertably disposed within the tubular member with the tool distal end projecting beyond the tubular member distal end. The apparatus further includes an indicator indicating the tool distal end while the tool distal end projects beyond the tubular member distal end.

Claims

1. Surgical apparatus, comprising:

a trocar having a tubular member with a tubular member distal end and a tubular member proximal end, configured for insertion into a body cavity, and defining a passageway configured to allow passage of

a surgical tool comprising a tool proximal end and a tool distal end, from the tubular member proximal end to a position in which the tool distal end projects beyond the tubular member distal end; and

an indicator mounted on the trocar configured to apply indications onto surgical tools in the passageway, such that the indications can be identified by an endoscope in the body cavity while the tool distal end projects beyond the tubular member distal end.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor for sensing a position of the surgical tool, mounted on the trocar; and

wherein the indicator indicates the tool distal end based on a signal of the sensor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is an applicator, disposed on the trocar, configured to apply a marker to the tool.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the marker comprises a liquid, configured to dry in response to being applied to the tool.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the marker comprises a label, configured to be deposited on the tool.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, and comprising a label remover disposed in the trocar, configured to remove the label after deposition thereof, and upon withdrawal of the tool from the trocar via the tubular member.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the label is configured to be removed from the tool on autoclaving the tool.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a processor, configured to track the tool in response to the indication of the indicator.