Surgical communication and power system

• US 8,074,662 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Navigation Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hunter, Mark W, Kessman, Paul, Jascob, Brad
• Primary Examiner(s): SZMAL, BRIAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/497,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20060278247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,961 Days
• Field of Search: 128/899, 600/587, 600/591, 600/300, 600/301, 600/549, 600/509, 600/424, 600/426, 600/407, 600/437, 600/526, 337/00, 73/17.9, 606/1, 607/32, 340/10.6, 340/10.33, 340/10.41, 324/652, 324/207.11, 324/207.15, 324/207.17, 324/207.26, 427/429, 343/718, 713/320, 700/225, 705/22, 709/220, 222/81, 222/88, 222/325, 141/330, 141/367, 141/375, 342/451
• US Class Current: 128/899
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00411 actuated by application of energy from an energy source outside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3975 active
• 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 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 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils

Abstract

A system operable to assist in a surgical procedure. The system can include a surgical navigation system that can be used to assist in determining a position of the surgical instrument, an information of an anatomical body, information regarding an anatomical structure, or combinations thereof. The system can further display the positional information or the anatomical or physiological information on a display.

Claims

1. A surgical navigation system for use during a surgical procedure on an anatomical body, the surgical navigation system comprising:

a signal generator configured to wirelessly transmit signals from a site remote from the anatomical body, the signals including reference signals and powering signals that are frequency multiplexed;

a first wireless sensor/transmitter adapted to be positioned relative to the anatomical body, the wireless sensor/transmitter configured to;

(i) receive the signals from the signal generator, (ii) wirelessly transmit information signals, (iii) utilize the powering signals to power the first wireless sensor/transmitter, and (iv) utilize the reference signals to generate the information signals; and

a processor configured to determine an angular orientation and a position of the first wireless sensor/transmitter based on the information signals.

2. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display to display position information.

3. The surgical navigation system of claim 2, wherein said information signals are sensed signals from the anatomical body.

4. The surgical navigation system of claim 3, wherein the information signals are a temperature measured of the anatomical body.

5. The surgical navigation system of claim 3, wherein the information signals are displayed on the display with position information of the first wireless sensor/transmitter.

6. The surgical navigation system of claim 2, wherein said signal generator includes an electromagnetic field generator coil.

7. The surgical navigation system of claim 6, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter includes a sensing coil and a power coil.

8. The surgical navigation system of claim 7, wherein the signal generator includes a plurality of coils configured to produce an electromagnetic field each in succession to induce a signal in the first wireless sensor/transmitter.

9. The surgical navigation system of claim 7, wherein the sensing coil and the power coil are configured to separate the signals to both power the wireless sensor/transmitter and determine position information of the wireless sensor/transmitter.

10. The surgical navigation system of claim 9, wherein the power coil is configured to rectify an induced voltage from the multiplex signal to create DC power.

11. The surgical navigation system of claim 10, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter further includes at least one of a capacitor, a battery, a power storage system or combinations thereof.

12. The surgical navigation system of claim 7, wherein the sensing coil and the power coil are a single coil.

13. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless sensor/transmitter is formed as a component internal to the anatomical body.

14. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, further comprising a second wireless sensor/transmitter.

15. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter includes an inductor-capacitor tank circuit configured to transmit via a magnetic field mode the information signal.

16. The surgical navigation system of claim 15, wherein the information signal is a positional signal.

17. The surgical navigation system of claim 1, further comprising a receiver coupled to the processor, the receiver configured to wirelessly receive the information signals from the first wireless sensor/transmitter.

18. A surgical navigation apparatus for use during a surgical procedure on an anatomical body, the surgical navigation apparatus comprising:

a signal generator configured to wirelessly transmit signals from a site remote from the anatomical body, the signal generator including an electromagnetic field generator coil and the signals including reference signals and powering signals that are frequency multiplexed;

a first wireless sensor/transmitter including a sensing coil and a power coil, the first wireless sensor/transmitter;

adapted to be positioned relative to the anatomical body,

configured to receive the signals from the signal generator,

configured to wirelessly transmit information signals indicative of information regarding the surgical procedure, wherein the information signals include sensed signals from the anatomical body,

configured to utilize the powering signals to power the first wireless sensor/transmitter, and

configured to utilize the reference signals to generate the information signals;

a processor configured to determine an angular orientation and a position of the first wireless sensor/transmitter based at least in part on the information signals; and

a display operably connected to the processor and configured to display the angular orientation and position of the first wireless sensor/transmitter.

19. The surgical navigational apparatus of claim 18, wherein the signal generator includes a plurality of signal generators.

20. The surgical navigational apparatus of claim 19, wherein the plurality of signal generators include a plurality of coils configured to be energized in succession.

21. The surgical navigational apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter is configured to receive a magnetic field signal in succession from each of the plurality of signal generators.

22. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter includes a coil in which a voltage is induced by the magnetic field signal.

23. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter includes an inductor-capacitor tank circuit.

24. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter includes a thermometer.

25. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the anatomical body includes a heart.

26. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter includes a plurality of coils to receive the signal transmitted from the signal generator.

27. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the information signal is a temperature measured of the anatomical body.

28. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 27, wherein the temperature is a temperature within a chamber of a heart of the anatomical body.

29. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sensed signals from the anatomical body include physiological information of the anatomical body.

30. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein said first wireless sensor/transmitter is formed as a component internal to the anatomical body.

31. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the signal generator includes a coil operable to generate an electromagnetic field.

32. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 31, wherein the signal generator includes a plurality of coils configured to produce an electromagnetic field each in succession to induce a signal in the first wireless sensor/transmitter.

33. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first wireless sensor/transmitter includes a single coil configured to receive the signal transmitted from the signal generator.

34. The surgical navigation apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a receiver coupled to the processor, the receiver configured to wirelessly receive the information signals from the first wireless sensor/transmitter.