Data processing: structural design – modeling – simulation – and em – Simulating nonelectrical device or system – Mechanical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-28
2002-10-22
Frejd, Russell (Department: 2123)
Data processing: structural design, modeling, simulation, and em
Simulating nonelectrical device or system
Mechanical
C434S262000, C128S897000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06470302
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to computerized simulation systems, generally of the types disclosed in: International Publication Number WO 96/28800, published Sep. 19, 1996 and entitled “Computer Based Medical Procedure Simulation System”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/923,477, filed Sep. 4, 1997 and entitled “Interventional Radiology Interface Apparatus and Method”; and U.S. Patent Application Docket No. C0136.HTM, filed Jan. 27, 1999 and entitled “Interface Device and Method for Interfacing Instruments to Medical Procedure Simulation Systems”. The disclosures of the above-referenced international publication and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In particular, the present invention pertains to an interface device for interfacing instruments to simulation systems to train medical professionals to access veins for introduction of various fluids into and sampling blood from the accessed veins.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Generally, performance of various medical procedures, such as vascular access procedures, requires great skill to avoid complications that may cause injury to a patient. Medical practitioners typically need to acquire the necessary skill levels and experience to perform these types of procedures in order to ensure successful performance on patients. Although practicing medical procedures on live patients provides excellent training, a procedure may usually only be performed a limited number of times on a particular live patient, and may require the presence of a skilled practitioner to supervise and oversee the procedure to avoid injury to the patient. Further, training medical professionals in medical procedures on live patients requires the use of proper facilities and equipment (e.g., hospital facilities and equipment), thereby incurring substantial costs and limiting procedure practice to a particular time and location.
The prior art has attempted to overcome the above described disadvantages of utilizing live patients to train physicians or other medical professionals to perform various medical procedures by employing simulation techniques. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,973 (Hon) discloses an expert system simulator for modeling realistic internal environments. The simulator may be utilized to simulate an endoscopic procedure, whereby a mock endoscope is inserted and manipulated within a model. The model includes a mock bodily region of interest and a plurality of sensors to detect the position of the endoscope. A computer receives signals from the sensors, and retrieves data from memory in accordance with those signals representing the view observed from the measured endoscope position during a real operation. The data is subsequently shown on a video display, whereby the displayed image is adjusted based on movement of the endoscope within the model. Alternatively, the simulator may be used to simulate an angioplasty-balloon operation, whereby a mock catheter is inserted and manipulated within an internal arterial modeling device. The internal arterial modeling device may include mock arterial paths with sensors to track the progress of the inserted catheter within those paths. A computer retrieves and processes data from storage based on sensor data received from the internal sensors, and sends the processed data to a display that provides a visual display simulating a realistic environment (e.g., a view of the catheter within an arterial network).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,055 (Saliterman) discloses a hemodynamic monitoring training system that allows medical professionals to obtain substantial experience in hemodynamic monitoring (e.g., placement of a catheter passed from a distant vein through the heart to the pulmonary vasculature for purposes of measuring intracardiac, pulmonary artery and wedge pressures to determine the type or extent of cardiopulmonary disease, to evaluate therapeutic measures and to monitor cardiac function). The system includes a trainer, computer, display, keyboard and mouse and simulates the catheterization process. A catheter having a balloon disposed at its distal end is inserted within a trainer manikin at a catheter insertion point. The balloon is typically inflated to assist the catheter tip through the heart, and may be inflated in the pulmonary artery to measure wedge pressure. The manikin includes tubes representing veins extending internally from the insertion points, and a position sensor that measures advancement of the catheter tip past the sensor. The sensor data enables the computer to determine the location of the catheter tip within a corresponding actual human body based on catheter manipulation within the trainer manikin. The computer receives signals from the trainer and may provide on the display a simulated fluoroscope image showing simulated movement of the catheter through the heart and vasculature.
The Hon and Saliterman systems suffer from several disadvantages. Specifically, these systems utilize a physical model, thereby restricting training of a medical procedure to a particular bodily region or arterial paths defined by that model. Further, use of physical models degrades realism of the simulation and reduces the benefits of simulation training since the models usually do not contain substantially the same complex anatomy as an actual body, and permit a physician or other medical professional to become accustomed to performing a procedure on the same model anatomy. Performance of the procedure on another bodily region or through different arterial paths within the Hon and Saliterman systems typically requires a new model or substantial modifications to an existing model, thereby limiting flexibility of the systems and increasing system costs. Moreover, the Saliterman system does not provide computer-controlled force feedback to an instrument, thereby degrading realism of the simulation and reducing the benefits of simulation training. In other words, the Saliterman system does not provide a computer simulated feel of forces applied to an instrument during an actual medical procedure.
In order to overcome the disadvantages of utilizing physical models described above, medical procedure simulation systems employ virtual reality technology to simulate performance of a medical procedure on a virtual bodily region of interest. Various types of interface devices are typically utilized by these systems to enable a user to interact with the simulation system. In addition, the interface devices may provide force feedback to the user to simulate the forces encountered during an actual medical procedure. For example, International Publication Number WO 95/02233 (Jacobus et al) discloses a medical procedure simulation system that utilizes virtual reality technology and force feedback to provide an accurate simulation of endoscopic medical procedures. The system includes a display device, sound device, graphics/image processing engine and storage module and programmable tactile/force reflecting mechanisms (e.g., disposed within an interface device) that provide force feedback to generate the “feel” of medical instruments and the interaction of the instruments with an anatomical simulation. Force feedback is typically accomplished by a tactile/force reflecting mechanism via a four axis device that imparts forces and torques to a user's hands through a member representative of a medical instrument in response to manipulation of that member. The forces and torques are applied to the user's hands based on the position of the member in relation to characteristics of a geometric model of an organ or virtual reality simulation of a medical procedure environment. The forces and torques are typically generated by four servomotors that manipulate the member to provide a realistic feel during simulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,582 (Rosenberg) discloses a human/computer interface tool, typically for use with virtual reality simulation systems. The interface tool preferably interfaces a substantially cylindrical objec
Cunningham Richard L.
Feldman Ben
Feldman Philip
Merril Gregory L.
Broda Samuel
Frejd Russell
Immersion Medical Inc.
Thyfault Paul M.
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