Enhancing visible differences between different tissues in computer-assisted tele-operated surgery

Abstract

The technology described herein can be embodied in a method that includes obtaining a representation of a first image of a surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range outside the visible range of wavelengths, wherein an amount of electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength range received from a first tissue type is lower than that received for a second tissue type. The method also includes obtaining a representation of a second image using electromagnetic radiation of a second wavelength range outside the visible range of wavelengths, wherein an amount of electromagnetic radiation of the second wavelength range received from the second tissue type is substantially different from that received for the first tissue type. The visual representation of the surgical scene is rendered on the one or more displays using the representation of the first image and the representation of the second image.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method of providing visual feedback of a surgical process using a visual representation of a surgical scene rendered on one or more display devices, the method comprising:
 obtaining a representation of a first image of the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range between 1200 and 1350 nm   obtaining a representation of a second image of the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of a second wavelength range between 1200 and 1350 nm and   presenting the visual representation of the surgical scene on the one or more display devices, wherein the visual representation is rendered using the representation of the first image and the representation of the second image.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 receiving a user input for controlling at least a portion of a surgical device in response to presenting the visual representation.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein obtaining the representation of the first image or obtaining the representation of the second image comprises:
 outputting instructions to illuminate the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength range or the second wavelength range; and   generating the representation of the first image or the representation of the second image, respectively, using data captured by the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to sense portions of the electromagnetic radiation reflected or transmitted from the surgical scene.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein illuminating the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation in the first wavelength range or the second wavelength range comprises:
 illuminating the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation in the first wavelength range during a first time period; and   illuminating the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation in the second wavelength range during a second time period that is at least partially non-overlapping with the first time period.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein obtaining the representation of the first image or obtaining the representation of the second image comprises:
 illuminating the surgical scene using broadband electromagnetic radiation;   generating the representation of the first image using data captured by a first sensor of the one or more sensors configured to sense a first portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected or transmitted from the surgical scene, wherein the first portion of the electromagnetic radiation passes through a first filter configured to selectively pass electromagnetic radiation in the first wavelength range; and   generating the representation of the second image using data captured by the first sensor or a second sensor of the one or more sensors, the first sensor or the second sensor configured to sense a second portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected or transmitted from the surgical scene, wherein the second portion of the electromagnetic radiation passes through a second filter configured to selectively pass electromagnetic radiation in the second wavelength range.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein obtaining the representation of the first image or obtaining the representation of the second image comprises:
 illuminating the surgical scene using broadband electromagnetic radiation that includes multiple wavelengths;   generating the representation of the first image using data captured by a first sensor configured to selectively sense a first portion of the electromagnetic radiation in the first wavelength range, as reflected or transmitted from the surgical scene; and   generating the representation of the second image using data captured by the first sensor or a second sensor configured to selectively sense a second portion of the electromagnetic radiation in the second wavelength range as reflected or transmitted from the surgical scene.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 obtaining a representation of a third image of the surgical scene using a third wavelength range that lies outside the visible range of wavelengths; and   presenting the visual representation of the surgical scene on the one or more displays, wherein the visual representation is rendered using the representation of the third image.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the third wavelength range is selected such that an absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the third wavelength range for lipid is substantially equal to an absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the third wavelength range for collagen. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein the third wavelength range is selected such that an absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the third wavelength range for lipid is substantially different from an absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the third wavelength range for collagen. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the first wavelength range is between 1300 and 1350 nm, and the second wavelength range is between 1200 and 1250 nm. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein:
 the surgical scene comprises a first tissue type and a second tissue type;   an absorption characteristic of the first tissue type in the first wavelength range is different from an absorption characteristic of the second tissue type in the first wavelength range; and   an absorption characteristic of the first tissue type in the second wavelength range is different from an absorption characteristic of the second tissue type in the second wavelength range.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein:
 the surgical scene comprises a first tissue type and a second tissue type;   the first tissue type is collagen, and the second tissue type is lipid; and   the visual representation comprises enhanced visible differences between a representation of a ureter and a representation of surrounding lipid layers.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein:
 obtaining the representation of the first image of the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength range between 1200 and 1350 nm comprises:
 receiving an amount of electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength range from a first tissue type that is substantially different than an amount of electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength range received from a second tissue type; and 
   obtaining the representation of the second image of the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of the second wavelength range between 1200 and 1350 nm comprises:
 receiving an amount of electromagnetic radiation of the second wavelength range from the second tissue type that is substantially different from an amount of electromagnetic radiation of the second wavelength range received from the first tissue type. 
   
     
     
         57 . A surgical system comprising:
 one or more display devices; and   one or more processing devices configured to perform operations comprising:
 obtaining a representation of a first image of a surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range between 1200 and 1350 nm; 
 obtaining a representation of a second image of the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of a second wavelength range between 1200 and 1350 nm; and 
 presenting a visual representation of the surgical scene on the one or more display devices, wherein the visual representation is rendered using the representation of the first image and the representation of the second image. 
   
     
     
         58 . The surgical system of  claim 57 , further comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from the surgical scene;   wherein obtaining the representation of the first image of the surgical scene comprises:
 obtaining, using the one or more sensors, the representation of the first image of the surgical scene; and 
   wherein obtaining the representation of the first image of the surgical scene comprises:
 obtaining, using the one or more sensors, the representation of the second image of the surgical scene. 
   
     
     
         59 . The surgical system of  claim 57 , further comprising:
 an input device configured to receive a user input for controlling at least a portion of a surgical device in response to presenting the visual representation.   
     
     
         60 . The surgical system of  claim 57 , wherein the first wavelength range is between 1300 and 1350 nm, and the second wavelength range is between 1200 and 1250 nm. 
     
     
         61 . The surgical system of  claim 57 , wherein:
 the surgical scene comprises a first tissue type and a second tissue type;   an absorption characteristic of the first tissue type in the first wavelength range is different from an absorption characteristic of the second tissue type in the first wavelength range; and   an absorption characteristic of the first tissue type in the second wavelength range is different from an absorption characteristic of the second tissue type in the second wavelength range.   
     
     
         62 . The surgical system of  claim 57 , wherein:
 the surgical scene comprises a first tissue type and a second tissue type;   the first tissue type is collagen, and the second tissue type is lipid; and   the visual representation comprises enhanced visible differences between a representation of a ureter and a representation of surrounding lipid layers.   
     
     
         63 . One or more machine-readable non-transitory storage devices encoded with machine-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:
 obtaining a representation of a first image of a surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range between 1200 and 1350 nm;   obtaining a representation of a second image of the surgical scene using electromagnetic radiation of a second wavelength range between 1200 and 1350 nm; and   presenting a visual representation of the surgical scene on one or more display devices, wherein the visual representation is rendered using the representation of the first image and the representation of the second image.