IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS, PARTICULARLY FOR USE WITH MEDICAL INSTRUMENT USED IN OPEN SURGERY
Systems and methods for use in performing an open surgical procedure on a body of a patient using a working element of a surgical instrument that has a shaft connected proximally to the working element; and capturing an image of an area of the body using a camera that is connected to the shaft.
1 . A method of open surgery, comprising:
i) making an incision in a patient to provide direct access to a surgical site;
ii) introducing a surgical instrument to the surgical site, the surgical instrument comprising a tissue treatment portion for the modification or manipulation of tissue at the surgical site, and a non-working portion proximal from the tissue treatment portion, and an imaging system associated with the non-working portion;
iii) displaying an image of the surgical site obtained from the imaging system;
iv) modifying or manipulating the tissue at the surgical site by means of the surgical instrument; and
v) closing the incision in the patient at the end of the surgical procedure.
2 . A method of open surgery, comprising:
i) making an incision in a patient to provide direct access to a surgical site;
ii) introducing a surgical instrument to the surgical site, the surgical instrument comprising a tissue treatment portion for the modification or manipulation of tissue at the surgical site, and a non-working portion proximal from the tissue treatment portion, and an imaging system associated with the non-working portion;
iii) acquiring an image of the surgical site in the form of image data using the imaging system;
iv) modifying or manipulating the tissue at the surgical site by means of the surgical instrument; and
v) closing the incision in the patient at the end of the surgical procedure.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging system is associated with a non-insertion portion of the instrument.
4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the imaging system is associated with a non-insertion portion of the instrument.
5 . A method of communicating imaging data comprising providing a medical instrument, the instrument comprising a distally disposed working portion for working in a surgical or medical procedure, and a proximally disposed non-working portion having an associated imaging system, the non-working portion being on a non-insertion portion of the instrument; and transmitting the imaging data to a location remote from the surgical table for viewing or use by others who are beyond the immediate area of the surgical table or other surgical platform.
6 . The method of claim 2 wherein the imaging system is removably mounted on the instrument.
7 . A method for medical treatment, comprising:
performing an open surgical procedure on a body of a patient using a working element of a surgical instrument that has a shaft connected proximally to the working element; and
capturing an image of an area of a surgical site on the body using an image sensor in a camera that is connected to the shaft.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein performing the open surgical procedure comprises inserting the working element into the body while holding a proximal end of the instrument outside the body.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the image comprises clipping the camera onto the shaft.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the camera comprises a chassis having an open cylindrical groove formed therein, an image sensor assembly mounted in the chassis, wherein the image sensor assembly comprises an electronic image sensor, a plurality of lenses that are fitted into the groove in respective positions so as to direct an image onto the image sensor, and a cover, which closes over the image sensor assembly and the lenses in the chassis.
11 . The method of claim 7 further comprising displaying the image during the open surgical procedure.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the image is presented to a location remote from the surgical table for viewing or use by others who are beyond the immediate area of the surgical table or other surgical platform.
13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the camera is not inserted into the body.
14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging system comprises a pixellated, electronic image sensor.
15 . The method of claim 5 wherein the imaging system comprises a pixellated, electronic image sensor.
16 . The method of claim 7 wherein the imaging system comprises a pixellated, electronic image sensor.
17 . The method of claim 14 wherein the instrument includes a solid-state light source for illuminating a surgical site.
18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the instrument includes a solid-state light source for illuminating a surgical site.
19 . The method of claim 16 wherein the instrument includes a solid-state light source for illuminating a surgical site.
20 . The method of claim 12 wherein the one or more persons are not in the same room as the patient.
21 . The method of claim 12 wherein the data are communicated via a data or telecommunications network.
22 . The method of claim 12 wherein data representing acquired images are communicated to a data storage medium for on-demand presentation to a viewer.
23 . The method of claim 7 further comprising using the data in one or more of the following respects: medical or surgical training; participation or collaboration in the medical procedure being performed; participation or collaboration in a medical procedure for the same patient subsequent to the one being performed; modification of the imaging data, enhancements or derivations; archiving of procedures; for compliance with established rules or policies; for use in regulatory submissions.
24 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
a working element for performing an open surgical procedure on a body of a patient, and a shaft connected proximally to the working element; and
a camera that is connected to the shaft so as to capture an image of an area of the body.
25 . The surgical instrument of claim 24 , wherein the camera is configured to capture the image of the area that is in a vicinity of the working element.
26 . The surgical instrument of claim 24 , wherein the camera comprises a clip for fastening the camera onto the shaft.
27 . The surgical instrument of claim 24 , wherein the camera comprises a chassis having an open cylindrical groove formed therein, an image sensor assembly, which comprises an electronic image sensor and is mounted in the chassis, a plurality of lenses that are fitted into the groove in respective positions so as to form an image on the image sensor, and a cover, which closes over the image sensor assembly and the lenses in the chassis.
28 . The camera of claim 24 further comprising a solid-state light source for illuminating a surgical site.