Automatic irrigation-coordinated lithotripsy

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling an irrigation flow rate during a lithotripsy procedure are provided. The system includes a laser configured for lithotripsy procedure, a lithotripsy irrigation system, and a temperature sensor configured to provide input to enable control of a flow of the lithotripsy irrigation system in response to a change in temperature from the operation of the laser.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling an irrigation flow rate during a lithotripsy procedure comprising:
 receiving a feedback signal comprising at least imaging data from a lithotripsy system;   computationally analyzing the received feedback signal to determine at least one imaging characteristic associated with the imaging data; and   setting the irrigation flow rate based at least in part on the determined at least one imaging characteristic.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging characteristic includes at least one of a presence or an absence of a sharp edge on an image, or a transition of grey level among image pixels in a region of the image. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the irrigation flow rate comprises increasing the irrigation flow rate if the at least one imaging characteristic indicates an image being blurry. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the image is determined to be blurry when the at least one imaging characteristic exceeds a blurriness threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (i) receiving at least one of a predetermined upper threshold irrigation rate or a maximal intra-renal pressure; and   (ii) maintaining or adjusting the irrigation flow rate according to the upper threshold irrigation rate and/or the maximal intra-renal pressure.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting the irrigation flow rate comprises decreasing the irrigation flow rate if the at least one imaging characteristic indicates an image being clear. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting an operation of the lithotripsy system based at least in part on the received feedback signal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein adjusting the operation of the lithotripsy system includes adjusting a lithotripsy energy output. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the lithotripsy energy output is reduced so as to clear a field of view in the imaging data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the lithotripsy energy output is adjusted in response to a determination that the irrigation flow rate reaches a predetermined value. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a lithotripsy system; and   an irrigation controller configured to:
 receive a feedback signal comprising at least imaging data from the lithotripsy system; 
 computationally analyzing the received feedback signal to determine at least one imaging characteristic associated with the imaging data; and 
 set an irrigation flow rate based at least in part on the determined at least one imaging characteristic. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the irrigation controller is further configured to increase the irrigation flow rate if the at least one imaging characteristic indicates an image being blurry. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one imaging characteristic includes at least one of a presence or an absence of a sharp edge on, or a transition of grey level among image pixels in a region of the image. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the irrigation controller is configured to determine the image being blurry when the at least one imaging characteristic exceed a blurriness threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the irrigation controller is further configured to receive at least one of a predetermined upper threshold irrigation rate or a maximal intra-renal pressure, and to maintain or adjust the irrigation flow rate according to the upper threshold irrigation rate and/or the maximal intra-renal pressure. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the irrigation controller is further configured to decrease the irrigation flow rate if the at least one imaging characteristic indicates an image being clear. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the irrigation controller is further configured to adjust an operation of the lithotripsy system based at least in part on the received feedback signal. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein to adjust the operation of the lithotripsy system includes to adjust a lithotripsy energy output. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the irrigation controller is further configured to reduce the lithotripsy energy output so as to clear a field of view in the imaging data. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the irrigation controller is configured to adjust the operation of the lithotripsy system in response to a determination that the irrigation flow rate reaches a predetermined value.