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Detecting and avoiding blood vessels

  • US 9,693,729 B1
  • Filed: 09/19/2016
  • Issued: 07/04/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for differentiating a blood vessel from a nonvascular tissue inside a patient'"'"'s body cavity during a surgical procedure comprising:

  • transmitting a first light signal through an emitter sensor opening of a penetration sensor device comprising a tip, wherein the first light signal is emitted in a direction ahead of the tip into a tissue;

    receiving a second light signal reflected from the tissue ahead of the tip through a detector sensor opening of the penetration sensor device;

    determining an indicator of presence of a blood vessel ahead of the tip of the penetration sensor device based on information from the first light signal and the second light signal; and

    identifying the tissue as a blood vessel if the indicator for presence of a blood vessel is greater than a threshold,wherein the penetration sensor device comprises a sensor probe comprising a sensor unit, at a tip of the sensor probe, having the emitter and detector sensor openings.

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