System to differentiate and identify types of tissue within a region proximate to a working end of a surgical instrument
Inventors
Chaturvedi, Amal • Subramanian, Hariharan • Gunn, Jonathan • Shukair, Shetha • Le Rolland, Paul
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11992235-B2
Publication Date
2024-05-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
A surgical system used to determine the presence of a vessel within a region (102) proximate to a working end (104) of a surgical instrument (106) includes at least one light emitter (110) disposed at the working end (104) of the surgical instrument (106), and at least one light sensor (112) disposed at the working end (104) of the surgical instrument (106) and configured to receive light emitted from the at least one light emitter (110) and reflected from the region (102), the at least one light sensor (112) adapted to generate a signal comprising a first pulsatile component and a second non-pulsatile component. The system also includes a controller (114) coupled to the at least one light sensor (112), the controller (114) comprising a splitter (116) to separate the first pulsatile component from the second non-pulsatile component and an analyzer (118) to determine the presence of the vessel within the region (102) proximate to the working end (104) of the surgical instrument (106) based on the first pulsatile component.
Core Innovation
A surgical system differentiates and identifies types of tissue within a region proximate to a working end of a surgical instrument by using at least one light emitter and at least one light sensor disposed at the working end facing in a common direction. The light sensor receives light emitted from the light emitter and reflected from the region and generates a signal having a first pulsatile component and a second non-pulsatile component. A controller is coupled to the light sensor and includes a splitter that separates the first pulsatile component from the second non-pulsatile component, and an analyzer that uses each component for different determinations.
The analyzer differentiates between types of nonvascular tissue within the region proximate to the working end based on the second non-pulsatile component, and determines the presence of the vessel within the region proximate to the working end based on the first pulsatile component. Vessel presence determination is based on pulsatile-component-derived analysis, while nonvascular tissue differentiation is based on non-pulsatile-component analysis. The approach is configured to operate proximate to the working end and to use reflected light sensed at the working end facing in a common direction as the light emitter.
In addition, the controller and analyzer support differentiating nonvascular tissue types using non-pulsatile component information and separating or comparing signals across wavelengths. The analyzer uses non-pulsatile component information to differentiate between types of nonvascular tissue and uses pulsatile-component-derived parameters to determine vessel presence, including parameters such as Eigen-derived metric, autocorrelation metric, correlation coefficient metric, and peak. Vessel presence determination can involve comparing parameters to corresponding thresholds and using a multi-parameter voting rule that requires at least two favorable comparisons.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims that share a common inventive framework: separating a pulsatile component from a non-pulsatile component in a reflected-light signal at a surgical instrument working end, then using the non-pulsatile component to differentiate nonvascular tissue types and using the pulsatile component to determine vessel presence. Across the dependents referenced, the inventive features also cover multi-parameter metrics, threshold comparisons, and multi-wavelength or normalization concepts.
Reflected-light pulsatile and non-pulsatile component separation
A surgical system having at least one light emitter and at least one light sensor at the working end, generating a signal with a first pulsatile component and a second non-pulsatile component, and a controller with a splitter configured to separate the first pulsatile component from the second non-pulsatile component.
Nonvascular tissue differentiation using the non-pulsatile component
An analyzer configured to differentiate between types of nonvascular tissue within the region proximate to the working end based on the second non-pulsatile component.
Vessel presence determination using the pulsatile component
An analyzer configured to determine the presence of the vessel within the region proximate to the working end based on the first pulsatile component.
Multi-parameter vessel determination from pulsatile-derived metrics
The analyzer configured to determine whether a vessel is present using two or more signal-derived parameters based on the pulsatile component, including an Eigen-derived metric, an autocorrelation metric, a correlation coefficient metric, and a peak metric.
Threshold comparison and at least two favorable results
Determining whether a vessel is present by comparing one or more parameters to corresponding thresholds and requiring at least two of the parameter-versus-threshold comparisons to be satisfied.
Nonvascular tissue differentiation using normalized non-pulsatile signal across wavelengths
Differentiating between types of nonvascular tissue within the region proximate to the working end using a normalized non-pulsatile component measured at at least two wavelengths.
Tissue differentiation by comparing non-pulsatile component at first and second wavelengths
The analyzer distinguishes tissue types by comparing the non-pulsatile signal components produced for a light of a first wavelength and a light of a second wavelength.
Method emitting, sensing, and generating pulsatile/non-pulsatile signal components
A method that emits light from at least one light emitter disposed at the working end toward the region, senses light reflected from the region at at least one light sensor facing in a common direction as the at least one light emitter, and generates a signal having a first pulsatile component and a second non-pulsatile component based on the light sensed.
Method differentiating nonvascular tissue and determining vessel presence from separated components
Differentiating between types of nonvascular tissue within the region proximate to the working end based on the second non-pulsatile component, and determining the presence of the vessel within the region proximate to the working end based on the first pulsatile component of the signal.
Method separating pulsatile and non-pulsatile components
Separating a first pulsatile component from a second non-pulsatile component.
Method using at least two wavelengths
Using at least two different wavelengths in the light-emitting and light-sensing steps.
Method varying emitted intensity based on non-pulsatile component amplitude
Varying the intensity of light emitted based on the amplitude of a second non-pulsatile component.
Across both independent claims, the claim coverage centers on separating a reflected-light signal into a first pulsatile component and a second non-pulsatile component at a surgical instrument working end, using the non-pulsatile component to differentiate nonvascular tissue types and using the pulsatile component to determine vessel presence. Dependent claim concepts further specify vessel decision logic using named pulsatile-derived metrics, threshold comparisons with a multi-parameter voting rule, and nonvascular tissue differentiation using normalized or wavelength-specific non-pulsatile component analysis.
Stated Advantages
Differentiates and identifies types of nonvascular tissue within a region proximate to a surgical instrument working end.
Determines the presence of a vessel within the region proximate to the surgical instrument working end.
Enables vessel presence determination based on pulsatile-component-derived parameters and multi-parameter voting using at least two favorable threshold comparisons.
Supports tissue differentiation based on non-pulsatile component information, including non-pulsatile component analysis across wavelengths.
Supports distinguishing tissue types by comparing non-pulsatile signal components for different wavelengths.
Documented Applications
Experimental validation using excised porcine artery/tissue assemblies to evaluate DC patterns for tissue type and AC differences for vessel presence, including metric threshold behavior across tissue-only versus tissue/vessel samples.
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