Education and demonstration – Anatomy – physiology – therapeutic treatment – or surgery... – Anatomical representation
Patent
1994-08-12
1996-05-07
Hilten, John S.
Education and demonstration
Anatomy, physiology, therapeutic treatment, or surgery...
Anatomical representation
434262, 434270, G09B 2330
Patent
active
055139922
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention concerns apparatus for simulating physiological and physiopathological conditions and intended to be used for training medical personnel.
More particularly, the apparatus is intended for teaching techniques for ultrasound scanning deep organs using scanning means usually called a probe adapted to emit a signal and to receive a signal reflected from a target organ; this can be an ultrasound probe for ultrasound and/or Doppler symptomatology, in particular vascular symptomatology. The scanning means can instead be a sensor adapted to pick up a signal emitted by the target organ in response to appropriate stimulation, either physical (electromagnetic waves) or chemical (radioactive tracers).
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,974 describes apparatus for simulating cardio-vascular conditions. The apparatus comprises a mannikin which represents the patient to be examined, an audio system which holds in memory sounds corresponding to given pathological conditions and a stethoscope simulator enabling a trainee to interact with the mannikin as he or she would with a patient.
The mannikin has an outer layer of material imitating the texture of skin, under which switches are laid out at predetermined locations where the trainee is supposed to position the chestpiece of a stethoscope to listen to the beating of the heart of a patient.
The audio system includes a magnetic tape. Each switch is associated with a track on the magnetic tape on which are recorded the sounds that the trainee would hear on placing the stethoscope at the same point on a patient.
The stethoscope simulator is connected to the audio system so that the playback from a track on the tape delivers the sound to the earpieces.
The chestpiece of the stethoscope simulator incorporates a magnet. When the chestpiece is placed on the mannikin at one of the points where there is a switch the latter is closed by the magnetic field. The corresponding sounds are then delivered to the earpieces.
The apparatus further includes mechanical means for simulating respiratory movements, for example, which can indicate to the trainee where to place the stethoscope.
Attempts have been made to produce apparatus for simulating ultrasound examination, possibly in combination with Doppler vascular examination (these two examinations are often carried out at the same time as they yield complementary results).
The ultrasound imaging technique relies on the reflection of ultrasound by organs. Echography scans can show an organ at a greater or lesser depth in a non-bony region. An image representing the organ at a given time is displayed on a monitor. A sequence of images is displayed to examine the behavior of the organ over a given period.
The Doppler effect is used to measure the speed at which blood flows in the blood vessels. The monitor displays a spot tracing a curve representing this speed and at the same time a sound is heard corresponding to the flow of blood at a given point of the blood vessel.
Known simulation apparatus, of the type described above, is not capable of adequate performance given the accuracy requirements of ultrasound and Doppler scanning techniques.
The position of the scanning probe and its orientation in space are of critical importance for directing the ultrasound beam towards the part of the organ to be scanned. It will be readily understood that a slight difference in the inclination of the probe produces an image of a different part of the organ.
It is therefore important for the trainee to learn not only where to place the probe but also how to orient it correctly in space to scan the organ at the required angle.
The prior art devices are inadequate in that they give only a coarse detection of the position of the scanning means.
The present invention proposes apparatus which meets applicable accuracy requirements.
It proposes medical simulation apparatus of the kind comprising a mannikin representing all or part of a human body, said mannikin including a plurality of sensors, at least one means for generating signals representative of
REFERENCES:
patent: 3947974 (1976-04-01), Gordon et al.
patent: 4750888 (1988-06-01), Allard et al.
patent: 4881088 (1989-11-01), Fisher, Jr. et al.
patent: 5275572 (1994-01-01), Ungs et al.
patent: 5397237 (1995-03-01), Dhont et al.
SU 1298-795-A (Russian Abstract), Nov. 26, 1985 "Training Aid for Inserting Needle into Carotid Artery".
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