REAL-TIME SURGICAL REFERENCE INDICIUM APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR SURGICAL APPLICATIONS

• US 20100094262A1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: TrueVision Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Weissman, Michael, Tripathi, Ashok Burton
• Granted Patent: US 9,226,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0033 characterised by user input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0058 for multiple images
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/145 by video means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• 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 5/745 using a holographic display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00736 Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments A61F9/008 takes precedence

Abstract

Described herein are apparatus and associated methods for the generation of at least one user adjustable, accurate, real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium. The apparatus includes one or more real-time, multidimensional visualization modules, one or more processors configured to produce real-time, virtual surgical reference indicia, and at least one user control input for adjusting the at least one real-time virtual surgical reference indicium. The associated methods generally involve the steps of providing one or more real-time multidimensional visualizations of a target surgical field, identifying at least one visual feature in a pre-operative dataset, aligning the visual features with the multidimensional visualization, and incorporating one or more real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium into the real-time visualization. In exemplary embodiments, the apparatus and methods are described in relation to ocular surgery, more specifically capsulorrhexis.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the generation of at least one user adjustable, accurate, real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium, said apparatus comprising:

at least one real-time, multidimensional visualization module;

at least one processor configured to produce real-time, virtual surgical reference indicia in conjunction with the real-time visualization of a target surgical field produced by said multidimensional visualization module; and

,

at least one user control input in communication with said at least one processor for adjusting said at least one real-time virtual surgical reference indicium.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said processor utilizes pre-operative patient data to produce said at least one real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pre-operative patient data comprises at least one pre-operative still image.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one real-time, multidimensional visualization module is three dimensional.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium is three dimensional.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one real-time multidimensional visualization module is high definition.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said target surgical field is at least a portion of an eye.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said pre-operative still image is captured under natural dilation.

9. A method for guiding a surgeon performing a surgical procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one real-time multidimensional visualization of a target surgical field to a surgeon, said target surgical field having at least one specific visual feature;

aligning said at least one visual feature with said at least one real-time multidimensional visualization of a target surgical field; and

incorporating at least one real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium into said real-time visualization of said target surgical field.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said at least one real-time multidimensional visualization is three dimensional.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein said at least one real-time, virtual surgical reference indicium is three dimensional.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein said at least one real-time multidimensional visualization of said target surgical field is high definition.

13. The method according to claim 9 wherein said target surgical field is at least a portion of an eye.

14. The method according to claim 9 wherein said at least one specific visual feature identifiable by said surgeon comprises at least one structure selected from the group consisting of vasculature, vascular networks, vascular branching patterns, patterns in the iris, scratches on the cornea, dimples on the cornea, retinal features, deformities, voids, blotches, sequestered pigment cells, scars, darker regions, and combinations thereof.

15. A method for guiding a surgeon performing an ocular surgical procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

providing said surgeon with at least one real-time 3D HD visualization of at least a portion of an eye including at least a portion of the sclera, said sclera having at least one specific visual feature;

aligning at least one pre-operative 3D HD still image of said at least a portion of said eye including said at least one specific visual feature in said sclera with said at least one real-time 3D HD visualization of at least a portion of said eye; and

incorporating at least one real-time, 3D HD virtual surgical reference indicium into said at least one real-time 3D HD visualization of said at least a portion of said eye.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said at least one real-time virtual surgical reference indicium is based upon said at least one pre-operative 3D HD still image of said at least a portion of said eye.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said pre-operative 3D HD still image is captured under natural dilation.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said pre-operative 3D HD still image is captured without chemical dilation.

19. The method according to claim 15 wherein said at least one specific visual feature comprises at least one structure selected from the group consisting of vasculature, vascular networks, vascular branching patterns, deformities, voids, blotches, sequestered pigment cells, scars, darker regions, and combinations thereof on the surface of said eye.