Patent ID: 6450978
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An interactive surgical system to assist a surgery on at least one anatomical structure, said system comprising:a tool; a computer, including a three-dimensional model of each of the at least one anatomical structure and a three-dimensional model of said tool; an output device being configured to display said model of each of the at least one anatomical structure and said model of said tool; and a position sensing system being configured to register the position of said tool and the position of each of the at least one anatomical structure and transferring said positions to said computer; wherein, in operation, said computer, using said positions of said tool and of the at least one anatomical structure, is configured to determine virtual positions of said models of each of the at least one anatomical structures and of said tool and to control said output device to display said models of each of said anatomical structure and of said tool at their respective virtual positions; said three-dimensional model of each of the at least one anatomical structure being so displayed as to appear partially transparent, the computer being further configured to selectively vary the transparency intensity used to display said three-dimensional model, ranging from opacity to disappearance of the model.