US 11,711,596 B2
System and methods for determining proximity relative to an anatomical structure
Amanda H. Lennartz, Erie, CO (US); Daniel A. Joseph, Golden, CO (US); Cornelia F. Twomey, Longmont, CO (US); Erin E. Wehrly, Longmont, CO (US); Pierre Gherardi, Longmont, CO (US); Tracy J. Pheneger, Longmont, CO (US); David M. Garrison, Longmont, CO (US); Tyler J. Bagrosky, Arvada, CO (US); Robert H. Wham, Boulder, CO (US); and Jing Zhao, Superior, CO (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on Dec. 3, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/111,348.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/964,907, filed on Jan. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0234993 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. G06T 7/70 (2017.01); H04N 23/50 (2023.01); A61B 1/313 (2006.01); A61B 1/05 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 23/50 (2023.01) [A61B 1/00045 (2013.01); A61B 1/05 (2013.01); A61B 1/3132 (2013.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); G06T 2207/10068 (2013.01); H04N 23/555 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for determining proximity of a surgical instrument with respect to an anatomical structure, the system comprising:
a surgical instrument configured to perform a laparoscopic surgical operation;
an electromagnetic sensor operably coupled to the surgical instrument and configured to sense an electromagnetic wave corresponding to a position of a distal end portion of the surgical instrument within an electromagnetic field; and
a processor configured to:
cause a display device to display a first graphical representation of a patient, the first graphical representation including a representation of a target anatomical structure, a representation of a non-target anatomical structure, and a representation of the distal end portion of the surgical instrument;
determine a position of the representation of the distal end portion of the surgical instrument within the first graphical representation of the patient based on the position of the distal end portion of the surgical instrument within the electromagnetic field;
determine a proximity of the distal end portion of the surgical instrument to the non-target anatomical structure of the patient based on the determined position of the representation of the distal end portion of the surgical instrument within the first graphical representation of the patient and a position of the representation of the non-target anatomical structure within the first graphical representation of the patient;
generate a warning based on the determined proximity; and
cause the display device to display a second graphical representation of the patient, the second graphical representation including the representation of the distal end portion of the surgical instrument displayed relative to the representation of the non-target anatomical structure based on the determined proximity.