Automatic instrument detection for surgical navigation

Abstract

An identification system for surgical navigation is described. The navigation system contains an instrument assembly containing a coil (of a receiver) having an interior space, an instrument configured to be removably coupled to the coil, and a prong affixed to the instrument and configured to be at least partially disposed within the interior space of the coil when the instrument is coupled to the coil. The prong can have a length corresponding to the physical dimensions of the instrument. The navigation system can also contain a transmitter located within the body of a patient. The navigation system can be used to identify interchangeable instruments. Other embodiments are described.

1 . An instrument assembly, comprising:
 a coil having an interior space;   an instrument configured to be removably coupled to the coil; and   a prong affixed to the instrument and configured to be at least partially disposed within the interior the coil when the instrument is coupled to the coil, wherein the prong has a length corresponding to the physical dimensions of the instrument.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coil has an inductance that is affected when the instrument is coupled to the coil. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a receiver containing the coil. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor operably connected to the coil and configured to determine if the instrument is coupled to the coil. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the instrument is a first instrument, the prong is a first prong, and further comprising:
 a second instrument configured to be removably coupled to the coil, the second instrument having physical dimensions differing from the physical dimensions of the first instrument; and   a second prong having a length corresponding to the physical dimensions of the second instrument.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a processor configured to determine if the first instrument, the second instrument, or no instrument is coupled to the coil. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the physical dimensions of the first instrument based on the length of the first prong and the physical dimensions of the second instrument based on the length of the second prong. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the instrument assembly is configured to be connected to the transmitter of a surgical navigation system. 
     
     
         9 . A surgical navigation system, comprising:
 a transmitter; and   an instrument assembly communicating with the transmitter, comprising:
 a coil having an interior space; 
 an instrument configured to be removably coupled to the coil; and 
 a prong affixed to the instrument and configured to be at least partially disposed within the interior the coil when the instrument is coupled to the coil, wherein the prong has a length corresponding to the physical dimensions of the instrument. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the instrument is a medical instrument configured to be placed within the body of a patient. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the transmitter is connected to the body of the patient and the transmitter cooperatively operates with the coil to provide data relating to the location and orientation of the coil with respect to the transmitter and the body of the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a processor operatively coupled to the transmitter and to the coil; and   a display operatively coupled to the processor;   
       wherein the processor is configured to generate an image of the location of the instrument with respect to the body of the patient using the data relating to the location and orientation of the coil. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the coil has an inductance that is affected when the instrument is coupled to the coil. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a receiver containing the coil. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a processor operably connected to the coil and configured to determine if the instrument is coupled to the coil. 
     
     
         16 . A method for identifying interchangable instruments, the method comprising:
 providing one or more instruments, each of the one or more instruments having a prong of a length corresponding to the physical dimensions of the one or more instruments;   providing a receiver configured to be coupled to the one or more instruments, the receiver having a coil with a depth; and   identifying if the one or more instruments is coupled to the receiver based on the length of the prong when the one or more instruments is coupled to the receiver.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the prong of the one or more instruments is configured to at least partially fill the depth of the coil when the one or more instruments is coupled to the receiver. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising identifying the coupling based on the inductance of the coil. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 providing a transmitter operatively coupled to a processor; and   providing a display device operatively coupled to the processor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising displaying a representation of the physical dimensions of the one or more instruments coupled to the receiver as it is oriented with respect to the transmitter. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more instruments is configured to be used inside of the body of a patient. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 uncoupling the one or more instruments from the receiver;   coupling another instrument to the receiver; and   identifying the other instrument based on the length of the prong in that other instrument.