System and method for inhibiting injury to a patient during laparoscopic surgery
Inventors
Langlois, David Allan • Schembri, Lawrence
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9492070-B2
Publication Date
2016-11-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
This group of inventions provides means and methods for preventing the damaging portions of surgical tools, such as laparoscopic devices, from adversely contacting tissues and organs that are not in the desired field of surgery. As such, the present disclosure pertains to any form of a warning or positioning device or methods, including those that are facilitated via software that are adapted and arranged for use in tracking portions of surgical instruments during laparoscopic surgery or other medical procedures. Such systems include those that are adapted and arranged to provide a warning to the surgeon or other medical personnel regarding the positional status of an instrument, and those that are adapted and arranged for disabling or attenuating the portions of those instruments that might be dangerous to a patient when a dangerous portion of the instrument is near or outside the desired, or denominated, field of surgery. Data relating to the position and orientation of the instrument and of the position of a safe zone within which the instrument can be kept safely is optionally (preferably) stored throughout a medical procedure for later playback for training purposes or for ensuring that a patient was not injured during a medical procedure.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a laparoscopic surgical system that pre-defines a three-dimensional safe zone in a target region within a stationary patient in a surgical theatre. A probe is used to define a denominated surgical field in the target region, and the safe zone boundaries are formed around a target surgical region using positions of internal body portions within the target region.
During use, a surgical instrument having an interior portion with a functional element is inserted into the patient while the patient remains in the stationary position. The system determines the current position and/or orientation of the functional element relative to the safe zone using tracking from an instrument marker, while a laparoscope provides images so that the image receiving element receives images of the probing portion and the functional element when each is in the surgical field.
The system continuously determines whether the functional element remains within the safe zone, and a controller performs actions if the functional element is outside the safe zone. The at least one action includes notifying a user and disabling the functional element, and the disclosed tracking concept includes optional recording of positions of the functional element over a selected period of time.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims. The claims center on pre-defining a three-dimensional safe zone and using the safe-zone determination during laparoscopic surgical operation, with additional marker-based substantially continuous tracking, controller action if outside the safe zone, and recording over time.
Stationary patient theatre pre-defining a denominated three-dimensional safe zone
Providing a patient in a stationary position in a surgical theatre and pre-defining a three-dimensional safe zone in a target region while the patient remains stationary by using the probe to define a denominated surgical field in the target region.
Laparoscope imaging of probing portion and functional element in the surgical field
Providing a laparoscope with an image receiving element positionable in a surgical field to receive images of the probing portion when the probing portion is in the surgical field and to receive images of the functional element when the functional element is in the surgical field.
Probe and instrument bodies outside the patient during use
Providing a probe with an interior portion configured to be at least partially inserted into the body during use while the probe body is configured to be outside the body, and providing a surgical instrument with an interior portion configured to be at least partially inserted into the body during use while the instrument body is configured to be outside the body, the instrument interior portion including a functional element.
Substantially continuous functional element position determination from an instrument marker
Using the functional element of the surgical instrument to perform a function in the surgical field and determining substantially continuously the current position of the functional element based on the instrument marker.
Substantially continuous whether functional element is within the safe zone
Determining substantially continuously whether the functional element is within the safe zone based on the current position of the functional element.
Controller actions if functional element is outside the safe zone
Carrying out at least one action if the controller determines that the functional element is outside the safe zone, wherein the at least one action is selected from notifying a user and disabling the functional element.
Recording positions of the functional element over a selected period of time
Recording positions of the functional element determined over a selected period of time.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is the use of a probe to pre-define a three-dimensional safe zone in a target region for a stationary patient, combined with laparoscopic imaging of both the probing portion and the functional element within a surgical field. The second independent claim adds substantially continuous marker-based tracking of the functional element relative to the safe zone, controller actions when outside the safe zone, and recording of functional element positions over time.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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