US 12,433,691 B1
Minimally invasive surgical apparatus, system, and related methods
Michael Daniels, Dundas (CA); Donald Alan Sawula, Dundas (CA); and Tian Zhang, Dundas (CA)
Assigned to MARINER ENDOSURGERY, Dundas (CA)
Filed by Mariner Endosurgery, Dundas (CA)
Filed on May 20, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/668,523.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/575,431, filed on Apr. 5, 2024.
Int. Cl. A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 34/35 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/20 (2016.02) [A61B 1/00087 (2013.01); A61B 2034/2057 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2065 (2016.02); A61B 2034/207 (2016.02); A61B 34/35 (2016.02); A61B 2560/0223 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A minimally invasive surgical system, comprising:
a camera equipped surgical tool configured to provide a livestream of a surgical site upon insertion into the surgical site;
a computerized tracking system configured to receive the livestream of the surgical site provided by the camera equipped surgical tool, the computerized tracking system comprising:
a display configured to display the livestream of the surgical site on the display screen; and
a processor coupled to the display;
a database coupled to the processor and configured to store information relating to at least one identifying characteristic of a surgical instrument used to carry out a surgical procedure on the surgical site using the minimally invasive surgical system, the at least one identifying characteristic of the surgical instrument including at least one of type, shape, length, width, depth, sharpness, and stiffness of the surgical instrument;
a memory coupled to the processor and the database, the memory storing a non-transitory computer program that upon execution by the processor enables the processor to:
receive, from an operator of the minimally invasive surgical system, an indication designating at least one portion of the surgical site displayed in the livestream of the surgical site as an unsafe or safe operating region in which presence of the surgical instrument is to be, respectively, avoided or introduced, the at least one portion reflecting a two-dimensional area corresponding to a specific portion of an organ or tissue within the surgical site;
define a three-dimensional zone in the livestream surrounding the two-dimensional area, the three-dimensional zone indicating, respectively, an unsafe or safe operating zone in the live stream, wherein the three-dimensional zone corresponds to the specific portion of an organ or tissue;
receive a confirmation of the defined three-dimensional zone from the operator; and
track movement of the surgical instrument within the surgical site based on the at least one identifying characteristic of the surgical instrument stored in the database and provide a signal in response to detecting that the surgical instrument is moving inside, outside or near a boundary of the confirmed three-dimensional zone.