Apparatus and method for implantation of devices into soft tissue
First Claim
1. A method to insert a device into tissue of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. loading the device for implantation into a clamping mechanism connected to an actuator, wherein the device comprises one or more implantation shanks that will form one or more implantation sites on the tissue when implanted into the tissue;
b. referencing a position of the device with respect to the actuator;
c. locating an implantation vicinity of the tissue;
d. identifying an initial implantation location within the implantation vicinity;
e. capturing a raw image of a field of view of the implantation vicinity, wherein the initial implantation location is contained within the field of view;
f. referencing a surface of the tissue in the field of view with respect to the actuator;
g. analyzing a portion of the raw image containing the initial implantation location to generate a map of sensitive structures in the tissue that could be damaged by the one or more implantation shanks of the device at the initial implantation sites during implantation to form one or more initial implantation sites;
h. comparing the one or more initial implantation sites of the device with the map of the sensitive structures in the tissue to determine severity of damage to the tissue;
i. virtually reorienting the one or more initial implantation sites to one or more subsequent implantation sites to form a subsequent implantation location;
j. comparing the one or more subsequent implantation sites of the device with the map of the sensitive structures in the tissue to determine severity of damage to the tissue;
k. repeating steps i and j until every horizontal and angular position in the field of view has a computed severity of damage to form a plurality of severity of damage calculations;
l. identifying an optimal implantation location from the plurality of severity of damage calculations;
m. adjusting the device to the optimal implantation location;
n. actuating the device to be implanted along a single, longitudinal axis toward the optimal implantation location through a distance that is determined based on a depth of the device in the tissue and the instantaneous distance between the actuator and the surface of the tissue;
o. detecting an actual point and an actual time of contact between the surface of the tissue and the device;
p. applying an adjustment to the distance the actuator will travel and a speed it is travelling based on a comparison of an expected point and an expected time of contact calculated using the referenced positions of the actuator and the tissue surface and a programmed speed of the actuator and the actual point and the actual time of contact measured during the implantation;
q. measuring a force between the device and the surface of the tissue during implantation;
r. applying an adjustment to the distance the actuator will travel and the speed the actuator is travelling based on a comparison of an expected force during implantation based on experimental data for the tissue into which the device is being implanted and the actual force measured during implantation of the device;
s. releasing the device that was implanted after it has reached its target depth in the tissue by retracting the clamping surfaces from the device;
t. retracting the actuator; and
u. recording data that was collected during implantation of the device so it can be used for diagnostic purposes.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for surgeon-assisted rapid surgical implantation of devices into soft tissue. The apparatus comprises several subsystems that enable the referencing of the spatial position and orientation of the device being implanted with respect to the soft tissue into which it is being implanted and then the controlled implantation of the device at a predefined speed with higher positional accuracy and precision and a reduction in soft tissue damage, provided by ultrasonic assisted motion, compared to current state-of-the-art implantation methods and devices. The method includes automated loading of the device being implanted into a clamping mechanism from a cartridge holding a number of implants, referencing of the device position and orientation, referencing of the surface of the tissue into which the device is being implanted, monitoring of the tissue motion, identification of desirable implant location based on the soft tissue profile, allowance of surgeon selection and fine adjustment of the final implant location, high-speed implantation, device release and implant actuator retraction.
23 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method to insert a device into tissue of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. loading the device for implantation into a clamping mechanism connected to an actuator, wherein the device comprises one or more implantation shanks that will form one or more implantation sites on the tissue when implanted into the tissue; b. referencing a position of the device with respect to the actuator; c. locating an implantation vicinity of the tissue; d. identifying an initial implantation location within the implantation vicinity; e. capturing a raw image of a field of view of the implantation vicinity, wherein the initial implantation location is contained within the field of view; f. referencing a surface of the tissue in the field of view with respect to the actuator; g. analyzing a portion of the raw image containing the initial implantation location to generate a map of sensitive structures in the tissue that could be damaged by the one or more implantation shanks of the device at the initial implantation sites during implantation to form one or more initial implantation sites; h. comparing the one or more initial implantation sites of the device with the map of the sensitive structures in the tissue to determine severity of damage to the tissue; i. virtually reorienting the one or more initial implantation sites to one or more subsequent implantation sites to form a subsequent implantation location; j. comparing the one or more subsequent implantation sites of the device with the map of the sensitive structures in the tissue to determine severity of damage to the tissue; k. repeating steps i and j until every horizontal and angular position in the field of view has a computed severity of damage to form a plurality of severity of damage calculations; l. identifying an optimal implantation location from the plurality of severity of damage calculations; m. adjusting the device to the optimal implantation location; n. actuating the device to be implanted along a single, longitudinal axis toward the optimal implantation location through a distance that is determined based on a depth of the device in the tissue and the instantaneous distance between the actuator and the surface of the tissue; o. detecting an actual point and an actual time of contact between the surface of the tissue and the device; p. applying an adjustment to the distance the actuator will travel and a speed it is travelling based on a comparison of an expected point and an expected time of contact calculated using the referenced positions of the actuator and the tissue surface and a programmed speed of the actuator and the actual point and the actual time of contact measured during the implantation; q. measuring a force between the device and the surface of the tissue during implantation; r. applying an adjustment to the distance the actuator will travel and the speed the actuator is travelling based on a comparison of an expected force during implantation based on experimental data for the tissue into which the device is being implanted and the actual force measured during implantation of the device; s. releasing the device that was implanted after it has reached its target depth in the tissue by retracting the clamping surfaces from the device; t. retracting the actuator; and u. recording data that was collected during implantation of the device so it can be used for diagnostic purposes. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An apparatus to insert a device into a soft tissue of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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an assembly of a clamping mechanism for retaining the device, wherein the assembly comprises an actuator for opening and closing a clamp having two opposing clamping surfaces to secure the device therebetween and for controlling the insertion of the device into the soft tissue of the patient; an imaging subsystem fixedly connected to the assembly, wherein the imaging subsystem comprises a microscope camera with several levels of magnification; a processor in communication with the imaging system and the assembly, wherein the processor executes the following method steps comprising; positioning an end of the device in proximity of the soft tissue of the patient; taking an image of the soft tissue; processing the image and identifying an implantation location that will result in minimum amount of the soft tissue damage during implantation; and inserting the device into the identified implantation location. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method to insert a device into tissue of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. providing an imaging system comprising a camera; b. providing a device insertion system comprising an actuator; c. providing a processor in communication with the imaging system and the device insertion system, wherein the processor executes the following method steps comprising; d. loading a device for implantation into a clamping mechanism connected to an actuator, wherein the device comprises one or more implantation shanks that will form one or more implantation sites on the tissue when implanted into the tissue; e. positioning the device in proximity of an implantation vicinity; f. capturing a raw image of a field of view of the implantation vicinity, wherein an initial implantation location is contained within the field of view; g. identifying the initial implantation location within the raw image of the field of view; h. analyzing the raw image to delineate tissue structures subject to damage by the one or more implantation shanks of the device during implantation; i. virtually reorienting the device to one or more subsequent implantation locations and analyzing tissue structures subject to damage by the one or more implantation shanks of the device at the one or more subsequent implantation locations; j. identifying an optimal implantation location that leads to minimum tissue damage; k. adjusting the device to the optimal implantation location; l. actuating the device to be implanted along a single, longitudinal axis toward the optimal insertion location through a distance that is determined based on the desired depth of the device in the tissue and the instantaneous distance between the actuator and a surface of the tissue; m. releasing the device that was implanted in the tissue by retracting the clamping surfaces from the device; and n. retracting the actuator.
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Specification