Surgical visualization system with camera tracking

Abstract

A surgical device includes a plurality of cameras integrated therein. The view of each of the plurality of cameras can be integrated together to provide a composite image. A surgical tool that includes an integrated camera may be used in conjunction with the surgical device. The image produced by the camera integrated with the surgical tool may be associated with the composite image generated by the plurality of cameras integrated in the surgical device. The position and orientation of the cameras and/or the surgical tool can be tracked, and the surgical tool can be rendered as transparent on the composite image. A surgical device may be powered by a hydraulic system, thereby reducing electromagnetic interference with tracking devices.

1 . A surgical visualization system comprising:
 a retractor;   a plurality of video cameras disposed on the retractor, said video cameras producing respective images; and   an image processing module configured to display said respective images,   wherein said surgical visualization system is configured to track the location of said video cameras.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical visualization system of  claim 1 , wherein said video cameras are associated with tracking devices to track the relative location of the different video cameras. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical visualization system of  claim 2 , wherein said tracking devices comprise electromagnetic (EM) tracking devices. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical visualization system of  claim 1 , wherein the video cameras are disposed on movable blades of the retractor. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical visualization system of  claim 4 , wherein the surgical visualizatio(Original) n system tracks the location of the plurality of video cameras by tracking the position of the retractor blades. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical visualization system of  claim 4 , wherein the retractor blades comprise a plurality of segments connected by at least one hinge. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical visualization system of  claim 4 , wherein the retractor blades are malleable. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical visualization system of  claim 4 , wherein the video cameras are removably coupled to the retractor. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical visualization system of  claim 8 , wherein the video cameras are associated with tracking devices to track the relative locations of the different video cameras, and wherein the tracking devices are removably coupled to the retractor. 
     
     
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         19 . A medical apparatus comprising:
 a surgical retractor configured to provide access to a surgical site;   a plurality of video cameras disposed on the retractor;   a plurality of tracking devices configured to track the locations of at least some of the plurality of video cameras.   
     
     
         20 . The medical apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of video cameras comprises at least a first video camera and a second video camera each have tracking devices associated therewith to track the relative positions of the first and second video camera with respect to each other. 
     
     
         21 . The medical apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the retractor comprises at least a first retractor blade and a second retractor blade each having at least one video camera thereon, and each of said first and second retractor blades have tracking devices thereon to track the relative positions of the first and second retractor blades with respect to each other. 
     
     
         22 . The medical apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said tracking devices comprise electromagnetic (EM) tracking devices. 
     
     
         23 . A medical apparatus comprising:
 a surgical retractor;   at least one video camera comprising imaging optics and an optical sensor, said at least one camera disposed on said surgical retractor,   wherein said imaging optics comprises wafer-scale optics.