HAPTIC SIMULATION AND SURGICAL LOCATION MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD
A system and method for monitoring a surgical site employs a fiducial reference with attached tracking marker. The marker may be tracked by a tracker. Image information about the surgical site is provided to a controller that updates a model of the surgical site derived from a prior scan of the surgical site. The system and method allow the user to select between monitoring the real surgery and performing virtual surgery using a digital manipulator device. The system may be operated with the user located remotely from the surgical site and operating a remotely operable surgical instrument controlled by the digital manipulator device. The system can select between employing a stationary model and a model that is updated in real time based on the real time image information from the surgical site. The manipulator device may be a haptic feedback device and the haptic feedback may be optionally employed.
1 . A system for monitoring a surgical site and a surgical instrument, comprising:
a tracker adapted to monitor the surgical site, the tracker having a field of view;
a fiducial reference attached proximate the surgical site;
a first tracking marker attached to the fiducial reference in a predetermined orientation, the first tracking marker disposed within the field of view;
a digital manipulator device configured for providing three-dimensional location and orientation information relating to the position of said digital manipulator device; and
a controller having a processor and memory, said memory storing a plurality of instructions, said plurality of instructions when executed by said processor to create a model of the surgical site from scan data of the surgical site; selectively update the model of the surgical site based on image information from the tracker about the surgical site; obtain the three-dimensional location and orientation information of the digital manipulator device; and display simultaneously on a display monitor the model of the surgical site and one of a virtual representation of the digital manipulator device and a virtual representation of the surgical instrument.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the digital manipulator is configured to provide the three-dimensional location and orientation information in real time and the controller is configured to obtain and display in real time.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the fiducial reference is structured and arranged to move with the surgical site.
4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the fiducial reference is structured and arranged to attach to tissue proximate the surgical site.
5 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a second tracking marker attached to the surgical instrument for registering the surgical instrument to the surgical site.
6 . The system of claim 2 wherein the digital manipulator device bears a third tracking marker disposed within the field of view for registering the digital manipulator device to the surgical site; and
the controller is further configured for obtaining real time three-dimensional location and orientation information of the digital manipulator device from the real time image information.
7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the digital manipulator device is a haptic device and the controller is configured for allowing the user to optionally select haptic feedback, the haptic feedback based on the model.
8 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a remote communications link, and wherein the controller and the digital manipulator device are disposed remote from the surgical site, the surgical instrument is a remotely operable surgical instrument; and the remote communications link is configured for
transmitting image information from the tracker to the controller,
transmitting three-dimensional location and orientation information about the remotely operable surgical instrument to the controller; and for
transmitting control information from the controller to the remotely operable surgical instrument.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein the remotely operable surgical instrument bears a fourth tracking marker disposed within the field of view for registering the remotely operable surgical instrument to the surgical site; and the controller is further configured for obtaining three-dimensional location and orientation information of the remotely operable surgical instrument from the image information.
10 . A method for monitoring a surgery at a surgical site using a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument bearing a first tracking marker disposed within a field of view of a tracker, the tracker disposed proximate the surgical site, the method comprising,
affixing a fiducial reference proximate the surgical site;
obtaining scan data of the surgical site;
creating a model of the surgical site from the scan data;
attaching a second tracking marker to the fiducial reference within the field of view;
registering a digital manipulator device to the model;
obtaining the three-dimensional location and orientation information of the digital manipulator device; and
displaying simultaneously on a display monitor the model of the surgical site and one of a virtual representation of the digital manipulator device and a virtual representation of the surgical instrument.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the affixing step involves having the fiducial reference affixed in a manner allowing the fiducial reference to move in conjunction with the surgical site.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the affixing step involves having the fiducial reference affixed to tissue proximate the surgical site.
13 . The method of claim 10 further including the step of updating in real time the model based on image information about the surgical site from the tracker.
14 . The method of claim 10 wherein the steps of obtaining and displaying are done in real time.
15 . The method of claim 10 wherein the step of registering the digital manipulator device to the model includes registering to the model a third tracking marker attached to the digital manipulator device, the third tracking marker being disposed within the field of view.
16 . The method of claim 10 wherein the real time three-dimensional location and orientation information of the digital manipulator device is obtained from the image information.
17 . The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of controlling the position and orientation of the surgical instrument over a remote communications link by manipulation of the digital manipulator device, wherein the surgical instrument is a remotely operable surgical instrument configured for receiving control instructions from a controller based on position and orientation information from the digital manipulator device.
18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising sending the image information from the tracker to the controller over the remote communications link.
19 . The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of providing haptic feedback to a user via the digital manipulator device based on the model.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the step of providing haptic feedback may be selectively activated.