A61B1/2676

Determining Position of Medical Device in Branched Anatomical Structure

Information extracted from sequential images captured from the perspective of a distal end of a medical device moving through an anatomical structure are compared with corresponding information extracted from a computer model of the anatomical structure. A most likely match between the information extracted from the sequential images and the corresponding information extracted from the computer model is then determined using probabilities associated with a set of potential matches so as to register the computer model of the anatomical structure to the medical device and thereby determine the lumen of the anatomical structure which the medical device is currently in. Sensor information may be used to limit the set of potential matches. Feature attributes associated with the sequence of images and the set of potential matches may be quantitatively compared as part of the determination of the most likely match.

INTELLIGENT DISPLAY
20220057977 · 2022-02-24 ·

A medical image display apparatus for displaying medical images of a lung on a screen includes a network interface receiving positional information of a navigation instrument from a position sensor of the navigation instrument, a video stream from an optical sensor of the navigation instrument, and medical images from an imaging device, a memory storing a plurality of medical images and instructions, a processor executing the instructions, and a display dynamically displaying images on the screen. The instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the medical image display apparatus to determine whether status information indicates a pathway reviewing mode, a target management mode, or a navigation mode. The instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the display to dynamically select and update images, which are displayed on the screen, among the plurality of medical images based on the positional information of the navigation instrument and status information.

METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ALTERING LUNG VOLUME
20220054137 · 2022-02-24 ·

A medical device and methods for altering lung volume are disclosed. The medical device includes a coil formed of a biodegradable material including a first bioabsorbable material that is configured to deactivate a portion of a lung as the coil degrades. The method includes positioning a first coil adjacent a first target within a patient and permitting the first coil to degenerate such that a first bioabsorbable material deactivates a first portion of a lung. The first coil is formed of a biodegradable material and includes the first bioabsorbable material.

Medico-surgical apparatus

An introducer for an endotracheal tube (50) has a bendable rod (10) with a video camera (15) and light source (16) mounted at its patient end (12) and connected by a cable (17) to an electrical connector (2) fixed at the machine end of the rod. The connector (2) has a narrow profile to allow the endotracheal tube (50) to be slid over it. In use, the camera (15) is connected to a video display (4) via a cable (5) and a mating connector (6), the rod (10) is bent to the desired shape and inserted into the trachea. The mating connector (6) is then disconnected to enable the endotracheal tube (50) to be slid to the correct position in the trachea along the rod (10) and over the connector (2) mounted at the machine end of the rod. The rod (10) is then removed to leave the tube (50) in position.

Telescopic intubation tube with distal camera
09801534 · 2017-10-31 ·

An extendable intubation device is disclosed that includes a tube assembly having a plurality of elongated tubes. Within the assembly, a base tube is coupled with an extension tube to maintain a continuous fluid pathway along the tube assembly during a fore-and-aft movement of the extension tube relative to the base tube. The extendable intubation device can include a camera system to allow a user (e.g. physician) to visually monitor the advancement of the distal end of the extension tube into the trachea of the patient. The camera system can include a sensor portion attached to the distal end of the extension tube and a monitor portion. A conductive wire connects the sensor portion to the monitor portion. The monitor portion of the camera system can be provided as an eyepiece at the proximal end of the intubation device and/or as a stand alone display.

Annular vision system

A vision system that may be used in a catheter or similar guiding instrument includes receptors distributed in an annular area. Each of the receptors has a field of view covering only a portion of an object environment, and the field of view of each of the receptors overlaps with at least one of the fields of view of the other receptors. A processing system can receive image data from the receptors and combine image data from the receptors to construct a visual representation of the entirety of the object environment.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REGISTRATION OF PATIENT ANATOMY
20220054202 · 2022-02-24 ·

A system may comprise a medical instrument, a tracking subsystem configured to receive position data from the medical instrument, and a control system communicatively coupled to the medical instrument and the tracking subsystem. The control system may be configured to perform operations including accessing a model of an anatomic structure of a patient and receiving an indication that the medical instrument has been delivered to a known anatomical landmark. The operations may also include collecting a plurality of measurement points of the anatomic structure along a measurement path extending from a measurement initiation position proximate the known anatomical landmark within the anatomic structure of the patient as the medical instrument moves along the measurement path. The operations may also include determining a location of the medical instrument relative to the anatomic structure and registering the collected plurality of measurement points to the model of the anatomic structure.

FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPE INSERTION METHOD FOR EXAMINING THE LATERAL WALL OF THE LUMEN OR THE LATERAL SIDE OF THE ORGAN
20220054118 · 2022-02-24 ·

A flexible endoscope insertion method includes: rotating a hollow organ by changing the body position to semilateral position or lateral position for observing the lateral wall of the lumen; turning the tip of the flexible endoscope to the lateral wall of the lumen by rotating the endoscope in the counter direction of the lumen; and retracting the organ with the endoscope itself by rotating the endoscope in the counter direction of the lumen. In other embodiments, the method includes: rotating a body cavity by changing the body position to the appropriate position for observing the lateral side of the organ; turning the tip of the flexible endoscope to the lateral side of the organ by rotating the endoscope in the direction of the lateral side of the organ; and retracting the organ with the endoscope itself by rotating the endoscope in the direction of the lateral side of the organ.

BRANCHING STRUCTURE DETERMINATION APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM
20170296032 · 2017-10-19 · ·

An image acquisition unit acquires a real endoscope image. A first evaluation value acquisition unit acquires a first evaluation value indicating the hole likeness of the insertion destination of an endoscope, and a second evaluation value acquisition unit acquires a second evaluation value indicating the boundary likeness of a plurality of bronchi at the bronchial branch. A determination unit determines whether or not a branching structure is included in the real endoscope image using both the first and second evaluation values. When it is determined that a branching structure is included, a virtual endoscope image generation unit generates a virtual endoscope image, and a display control unit displays the real endoscope image and the virtual endoscope image on a display.

ENDOSCOPE IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE

An image processing device including a housing and a processing circuit in the housing, the processing circuit including a processor and memory, the memory including a neural network model and proximity suppression logic, the neural network model comprising a single-pass neural network model trained with training images corresponding to an endoscopic procedure and defining anatomic references observable in the training images, wherein the neural network model is configured to process images, to detect the anatomic references in the images, and to output a set of anatomic references including identifiers and confidence values representing the likelihoods that the anatomic reference identifiers are correct, and wherein the proximity suppression logic is configured to change the confidence values of the anatomic references in the set of anatomic references based on a prior position of the endoscope to identify an anatomic reference indicative of the current position of the endoscope.