SURGICAL VISUALIZATION WITH PROXIMITY TRACKING FEATURES
A surgical visualization system is disclosed. The surgical visualization system is configured to identify one or more structure(s) and/or determine one or more distances with respect to obscuring tissue and/or the identified structure(s). The surgical visualization system can facilitate avoidance of the identified structure(s) by a surgical device. The surgical visualization system can comprise a first emitter configured to emit a plurality of tissue-penetrating light waves and a second emitter configured to emit structured light onto the surface of tissue. The surgical visualization system can also include an image sensor configured to detect reflected visible light, tissue-penetrating light, and/or structured light. The surgical visualization system can convey information to one or more clinicians regarding the position of one or more hidden identified structures and/or provide one or more proximity indicators.
1 . A surgical visualization system, comprising:
a display screen;
a surgical device configured to emit a structured light pattern onto a surface;
an image sensor configured to identify a structure embedded below the surface; and
a control circuit in signal communication with the image sensor, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
receive imaging data indicative of the structured light pattern on the surface;
generate a three-dimensional digital representation of the surface based on the imaging data;
obtain an image of the structure and the surgical device from the image sensor;
overlay the image of the structure and the surgical device with the three-dimensional digital representation of the surface on the display screen; and
determine a distance from the surgical device to the structure from the image.
2 . The surgical visualization system of claim 1 , further comprising an emitter configured to emit spectral light in a plurality of wavelengths capable of penetrating the surface and reaching the structure, wherein the image sensor is configured to detect reflected spectral light, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to identify a position of the structure below the surface based on the reflected spectral light.
3 . The surgical visualization system of claim 2 , further comprising a three-dimensional camera comprising the image sensor, and wherein the image comprises a three-dimensional image.
4 . The surgical visualization system of claim 3 , wherein the display screen comprises a digital proximity spectrum, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to display the distance from the surgical device to the structure on the digital proximity spectrum.
5 . The surgical visualization system of claim 4 , wherein the digital proximity spectrum comprises a plurality of colors.
6 . The surgical visualization system of claim 4 , wherein the digital proximity spectrum comprises a range of numerical values.
7 . The surgical visualization system of claim 4 , wherein the digital proximity spectrum comprises a plurality of cross-hatching patterns corresponding to a range of distances.
8 . The surgical visualization system of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional digital representation of the surface and a position of the structure are updated on the display screen in real time.
9 . The surgical visualization system of claim 1 , further comprising a robotic control unit in signal communication with the control circuit, wherein the surgical device is operably controlled by the robotic control unit, and wherein the robotic control unit is configured to adjust an operation of the surgical device when the distance from the surgical device to the structure is reduced to less than a minimum distance.
10 . The surgical visualization system of claim 1 , further comprising a contrast agent in the structure, wherein the contrast agent is configured to illuminate the structure, and wherein the image sensor is configured to detect visible light reflected from the illuminated structure.
11 . The surgical visualization system of claim 1 , further comprising a second surgical device, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
determine a second distance from the second surgical device to the structure from the image; and
provide the second distance to the image system.
12 . The surgical visualization system of claim 11 , wherein the display screen is further configured to display the second surgical device and the second distance on a second proximity spectrum indicator.
13 . The surgical visualization system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
display a first alert when the distance from the surgical device to the structure is reduced to less than a first minimum distance; and
display a second alert when the second distance from the second surgical device to the structure is reduced to less than a second minimum distance, and wherein the second minimum distance is different than the first minimum distance.
14 . The surgical visualization system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to triangulate the distance from known positions of the surgical device and the image sensor.
15 . A surgical visualization system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to:
receive imaging data indicative of a structured light pattern on a surface;
generate a three-dimensional digital representation of the surface based on the imaging data;
obtain an image of an embedded structure and a surgical device from an image sensor;
overlay the image of the embedded structure and the surgical device with the three-dimensional digital representation of the surface on a display screen; and
determine a distance from the surgical device to a portion of the surface covering the embedded structure.
16 . The surgical visualization system of claim 15 , wherein a position of the embedded structure is identified with reflected spectral light capable of penetrating the surface and reaching the embedded structure.
17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:
receive imaging data indicative of a structured light pattern on a surface;
generate a three-dimensional digital representation of the surface based on the imaging data;
obtain a three-dimensional image of an embedded structure and a surgical device from an image sensor;
overlay the image of the embedded structure and the surgical device with the three-dimensional digital representation of the surface on a display screen; and
determine a distance from the surgical device to the embedded structure from the three-dimensional image.
18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:
provide a signal to the display screen indicative of the distance; and
issue a warning signal when the distance meets a predefined threshold distance.