Method and system for video based image detection/identification analysis for fluid and visualization control

• US 20110237880A1
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Wells, Brannon P., Shariff, Ruzbeh, Hamel, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/000094 extracting biological structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/126 provided with means for cleaning in-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3132 for laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00773 Sensed parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00863 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/001 having means for irrigation and/or aspiration of substances to and/or from the surgical site A61B2018/00029 and A61B2018/1472 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

In a surgical system, a system controller executes a video signature identification and image control routine to maintain quality of a video image taken by a video camera located at a surgical site and provided on a video display. The system includes a video camera/light source handpiece for insertion into a patient body. A tool is inserted separately into the surgical site. Fluid input into the surgical site is provided by a liquid pump or by an insufflator. Video signals are analyzed and fluid input/output, fluid pressure, and/or tool operation is automatically controlled to maintain image quality of the surgical site without manual adjustments.

Claims

1. A video based image detection/identification system for fluid and visualization control of a surgical system for providing an acceptable video image of a surgical site, comprising:

a cutting tool for manipulating tissue at a surgical site;

a pump system for providing fluid to a surgical site;

a light source for providing light to a surgical site;

a video sensing device for obtaining video signals of images at the surgical site;

an image display for displaying a video image; and

a system controller capable of controlling at least one of the cutting tool, the pump system, and the video sensing device to maintain quality of video images obtained by the video sensing device and provided to the image display, wherein said controller receives and processes the video signals to determine a video signature corresponding to a condition that interferes with the quality of the video images, wherein said controller controls at least one of the cutting tool, the pump system, the light source and the video sensing device to address the condition of the fluid at the surgical site to return the video images from the video signals to an acceptable quality for viewing so that a user is free from having to manually control at least one of said cutting tool, said pump system, said light source, and said video sensing device to obtain an acceptable video image of a surgical site for viewing on the image display.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the surgical system comprises an endoscopic system and the pump system comprises a liquid pump for providing liquid to a surgical site, and wherein the video signature to be determined corresponds to at least one of bubbles, debris, particles, and bleeders.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the cutting tool comprises an RF cutting tool, and wherein the system controller controls the RF cutting tool in response to bubbles identified from the video signals by the system controller.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the surgical system comprises a laparoscopic system and the pump system comprises an insufflator for providing gas to a surgical site, and wherein the video signature to be identified comprises at least one of smoke and debris, the system controller operating the pump to control the gas flow output in response to the amount of smoke or debris sensed.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system controller analyzes the video signal to determine a video signature corresponding to debris on a tip at a distal end of a housing of the video sensing device, the controller controlling a tip cleaning device in response to the sensing of debris at the tip of the housing.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system controller controls the light source to output predetermined wavelengths of energy at predetermined output levels for sensing preselected conditions.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined wavelengths of energy are output intermittently.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined wavelengths include near infrared energy for at least assisting in determining the presence of a bleeder or of blood in the video images of the video signals.

9. The system according to claim 1, including controlling color balance of the video sensing device and light level output by the light source in order to obtain an acceptable video image.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system controller controls a suction pressure and/or a suction valve position of a cutting tool to obtain an acceptable video image.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system controller utilizes visible color image processing to determine the presence of blood within the video image.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the color image processing comprises at least one of a FFT spatial frequency information technique and a weighting technique.

13. A method for controlling a surgical system to provide an acceptable image of a surgical site for display, comprising:

providing light energy to a surgical site so that a surgical site is viewable;

obtaining video image signals at a surgical site with a video sensing device for use in displaying a video image on a display;

analyzing the video image signals to determine the presence of factors that reduce visibility or clarity of the video image signals;

in response to a lack of quality and clarity of the video image, controlling at least one of;

a cutting tool, a pump system, a light source, and a video sensing device to affect fluid at a surgical site so that the image detected by the video signals is controlled to provide an acceptable image quality for viewing, without any manual control; and

displaying the image on a video display.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a camera/light source handpiece includes the camera and the light source, the handpiece being disposed within a cannula that provides access to the surgical site, and the step of controlling at least one cutting tool, pump system, light source, and video sensing device comprises controlling the flow of irrigation fluid between the outer periphery of the camera/light source handpiece and an inner wall of the cannula, the fluid entering the surgical site via the distal end of the cannula.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of analyzing the video image signals includes comparing portions of the video image signals to video signatures corresponding to conditions that interfere with the quality of the visual signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the surgical system comprises an endoscopic system, and the video signatures are provided for bubbles, debris particles, bleeders, and other conditions.

17. The method of claim 16, including the step of operating a cutting tool capable of affecting change in video image signals during operation thereof, wherein the step of analyzing the video image signals to determine the presence of factors that reduce visibility or clarity of the video image;

and wherein the step of controlling to affect fluid at a surgical site in response to the video image signals comprises controlling suction of the cutting tool without manual input from a cutting tool operator.

18. The method according to claim 13, including the step of automatically controlling at least one of light source intensity and of color balance of the video sensing device to enhance a video image for display without manual operation.

19. The method according to claim 13, including providing light energy to the surgical site so that the surgical site is viewable for the video sensing device and providing non-visible light at one or more predetermined wavelengths for assisting the analyzing step in determining the presence of bleeders within the video image.