Instrument systems and methods utilizing optical fiber sensor

• US 9,186,047 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Ramamurthy, Bhaskar S., Tanner, Neal A., Younge, Robert G., Schlesinger, Randall L.
• Primary Examiner(s): STANFIELD, CHERIE MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US13/602,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 600/182
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00004 characterised by electronic signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00013 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00057 provided with means for testing or calibration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0017 Details of single optical fibres, e.g. material or cladding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/009 with bending or curvature detection of the insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/22 the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00699 correcting for movement caused by respiration, e.g. by triggering
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00725 Calibration or performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2061 using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/715 Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/741 Glove like input devices, e.g. "data gloves"
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• 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 34/37 : Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/77 : Manipulators with motion or force scaling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 : using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0064 : Body surface scanning
• 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 5/065 : Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/066 : Superposing sensor position on an image of the patient, e.g. obtained by ultrasound or x-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4887 : Locating particular structures in or on the body
• 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 8/00 : Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/48 : Diagnostic techniques A61B8/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/96 : using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 : using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 : Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/16 : for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. optical strain gauge
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/165 : by means of a grating deformed by the object
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/242 : the material being an optical fibre

Abstract

An instrument system that includes an elongate instrument body and an optical fiber sensor is provided. The optical fiber sensor includes an elongate optical fiber that is coupled to the elongate instrument body, wherein a portion of the optical fiber is coupled to the elongate instrument body in a manner to provide slack in the fiber to allow for axial extension of the elongate instrument body relative to the optical fiber.

Claims

1. An instrument system, comprising:

an elongate instrument body comprising a substantially rigid proximal portion and a flexible distal portion;

an optical fiber sensor comprising an optical fiber coupled to the elongate instrument body; and

a rigid splayer structure,

wherein a portion of the optical fiber is coupled at a known reference location on the proximal portion of the elongate instrument body, and

wherein the optical fiber is configured to traverse a path through the rigid splayer structure that provides slack in the optical fiber.

2. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber comprises one or more Bragg gratings.

3. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber includes a service loop provided at a proximal end thereof so as to provide the slack in the optical fiber.

4. The instrument system of claim 3, wherein the slack in the optical fiber is configured to prevent breaking or excessive straining of the optical fiber.

5. The instrument system of claim 3, wherein the optical fiber is constrained at a distal end thereof.

6. The instrument system of claim 3, wherein the service loop is provided outside the rigid splayer structure.

7. An instrument system, comprising:

an elongate instrument body comprising a substantially rigid proximal portion and a flexible distal portion;

an optical fiber sensor comprising an optical fiber coupled to the elongate instrument body; and

a rigid splayer structure,

wherein a portion of the optical fiber is coupled at a known reference location on the proximal portion of the elongate instrument body, and

wherein the optical fiber is configured to be coupled to a portion of the rigid splayer structure at a known location.

8. The instrument system of claim 7, wherein the optical fiber includes a plurality of strain sensors, one of the plurality of strain sensors serves as a reference strain sensor.

9. The instrument system of claim 8, wherein an absolute position or a relative position of each of the remaining of the plurality of strain sensors is determined with respect to the reference strain sensor.

10. The instrument system of claim 9, wherein the reference strain sensor is disposed on the optical fiber at the known location such that the reference strain sensor is constrained, at the known location, with respect to the rigid splayer structure.