Surgical enhanced visualization system and method of use

1. A method for training a new surgeon comprising the steps of:

providing an experienced surgeon with a surgical enhanced visualization system that includes one or more sensor modules, a first headset, and a computer connected to the first headset and the one or more sensor modules;

carrying out a surgical operation on a first patient in an operating suite while the experienced surgeon is wearing the first headset;

tracking the position of objects and people in the operating suite during the surgical operation with the one or more sensor modules and the first headset;

using machine learning to identify objects and people in the operating suite during the surgical operation;

developing a symbolic representation of the surgical operation based on the identification of objects and people in the operating suite during the surgical operation;

storing the symbolic representation as reference data for carrying out the surgical operation on a second patient;

loading the symbolic representation as reference data in the surgical enhanced visualization system;

providing the new surgeon with the surgical enhanced visualization system;

acquiring live data from the operating suite for the surgical operation on the second patient, wherein the live data includes a live three dimensional model of the second patient;

registering the symbolic representation and the live data for the second patient; and

displaying in real time an overlay of the symbolic representation onto the second patient through the headset worn by the new surgeon to guide the new surgeon during the surgical operation on the second patient.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

utilizing the symbolic representation to obtain contextually relevant reference data; and

displaying the contextually relevant reference data through the headset worn by the new surgeon.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

displaying a beam of visible light onto a target within the operating suite in furtherance of the surgical operation on the second patient and in response to a command from the computer based on the symbolic representation, wherein the target is selected from the group consisting of one or more of a plurality of surgical instruments and the second patient.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

acquiring patient reference data for the second patient; and

loading the patient reference data for the second patient into the computer.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:

extracting features from the patient reference data;

loading the features into the computer;

registering the features with the live data; and

displaying in real time a virtual overlay of selected features onto the patient through the headset worn by the new surgeon.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:

registering the patient reference data with the symbolic representation and the live data; and

displaying in real time an overlay of selected registered patient reference data onto the second patient through the headset worn by the new surgeon.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of acquiring the patient reference data for the second patient comprises acquiring virtualized model prosthetic data about a physical prosthetic to be implanted within the second patient.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of registering the patient reference data comprises registering the virtualized model prosthetic data with live data about the corresponding target anatomy of the second patient.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of changing the color of the virtualized model prosthetic data depending on whether the physical prosthetic is properly positioned with respect to the virtualized model prosthetic data displayed through the headset worn by the new surgeon.

10. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of:

tracking the position of a surgical instrument with the one or more sensor modules;

comparing the position of the surgical instrument against the position of anatomical features extracted from the patient reference data for the second patient; and

alerting the new surgeon if the position of the surgical instrument is too close to the position of the anatomical features extracted from the patient reference data.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of tracking the position of the surgical instrument comprises using a sensor positioned on or inside the second patient to track the position of the surgical instrument.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

displaying a beam of visible light onto a target within the operating suite in furtherance of the surgical operation on the second patient and in response to a command from the computer based on the symbolic representation, wherein the target is selected from one or both of the surgical instrument and the second patient.

13. A method of training for a surgical operation using a surgical enhanced visualization system that includes one or more sensor modules, a first headset, and a computer connected to the first headset and the one or more sensor modules, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first surgeon with the surgical enhanced visualization system;

carrying out a surgical operation on a first patient in an operating suite while the first surgeon is wearing the first headset;

tracking the position of objects and people in the operating suite during the surgical operation with the one or more sensor modules and the first headset;

using machine learning to identify objects and people in the operating suite during the surgical operation;

developing a symbolic representation of the surgical operation based on the identification of objects and people in the operating suite during the surgical operation;

storing the symbolic representation as reference data for carrying out the surgical operation;

loading the symbolic representation as reference data in the surgical enhanced visualization system;

providing the surgical enhanced visualization system to a second surgeon as a tool for performing the surgical operation on a second patient;

acquiring live data for the surgical operation on the second patient, wherein the live data includes a live three dimensional model of the second patient;

registering the symbolic representation and the live data; and

guiding the second surgeon during the surgical operation through information displayed on a headset worn by the second surgeon.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of guiding the second surgeon during the surgical operation comprising displaying in real time an overlay of the symbolic representation onto the second patient through the headset worn by the second surgeon.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of developing the symbolic representation of the surgical operation comprises identifying the preferences and actions of the first surgeon.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of providing the surgical enhanced visualization system to the second surgeon as a tool for performing the surgical operation comprises deploying the surgical enhanced visualization system within an environment selected from an operating suite, a classroom, a research laboratory, and a training facility.