Abstract:
A method and apparatus for providing visual data during an operation is described, comprising a processing base with memory and storage; a source of images such as x-rays and fluoroscopes; and a personally worn display such as a heads-up display. The display provides images of x-rays; fluoroscopic images; ultrasound images; and the like within the field of vision of the person or persons performing detailed medical procedures.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention generally relates to the field of providing information to medical personnel while performing medical procedures.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Medical procedures performed by medical personnel such as doctors and nurses often require the person performing the procedure to be aware of important information such as the patients heart rate, heart rhythm, blood pressure, etc. Furthermore, for some procedures, it is necessary for the person performing the procedure to refer to various chart information, such as X-rays, fluoroscopic images, ultrasound images, Computerized Axial Topography scans (CAT or CT scans), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI images), instructions, reference material and the like. When the procedure is complicated, such as when it is an operation, it is difficult to provide this information within the field of view of the persons performing the procedure. In current practice, often the charts and data are provided using one or more monitors or perhaps back-lit chart displays that often are outside of the field of view of the persons performing the procedure. This causes undo fatigue on the persons performing the procedure, in that each time they refer to the information, they must turn their heads away from the patient and change their focus, then turn back to the patient and refocus on the detailed work they are performing. This constant change in focus and bending of the head may increase fatigue, especially in long operations. Furthermore, valuable time is wasted during the procedure as the focus is changed back and forth.  
         [0003]     Prior configurations provide some limited information to medical personnel during a medical procedure. For example, one manufacturer of heads-up displays describes on their web site that the display can be used to show vital signs and endoscopic images. Although useful during a procedure such as an operation, this web site does not cite nor suggest the use of a heads up display for viewing images captured during an operation, perhaps using radiation to show the configuration of bones or blood vessels, especially imaging that is taken during the same time period in which the procedure is being performed. Rather, this citing discusses the use of endoscopic images which are obtained using a light source and sensor and are limited to body cavities.  
         [0004]     There are other problems created by having one or more monitors in an operating room. For one, there may be other medical personnel within the area that may interfere with the view of the surgeon who is performing the procedure, requiring the surgeon to reposition themselves or the other medical personnel to step aside when the surgeon needs to consult the information. Another is that the capture equipment, for example the x-ray equipment used during orthopedic surgery called a C-Arm, may impede the ability of the surgeon to see the display. Another problem is the actual space occupied by the monitor or monitors when operating room space is limited.  
         [0005]     Therefore, an apparatus to provide imaging information during a medical procedure is needed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method of and apparatus for providing information and data to medical personnel during medical procedures.  
         [0007]     In one aspect of the present invention, a heads-up display is worn by at least one of the medical personnel who are performing the procedure, perhaps worn by a surgeon during an operation. In this aspect, the surgeon may move his or her eye slightly to see the information, charts, x-rays, fluoroscopic images, CT scans, instructions or other information that will appear within their field of vision.  
         [0008]     In another aspect of the present invention, the medical personnel who are performing the procedure wear glasses onto which an image of the information; charts; x-rays; fluoroscopic images; CT scans; instructions; or other information is displayed. The display may be formed by projecting it onto a glass surface such as the lens of an eyeglass. Alternately, the display may be displayed on an active display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) integrated into the glass of one or both lenses. In this aspect, the medical personnel may have an unobstructed view of the patient in the center of their field of vision and the information may be displayed around the periphery so as to be visible by moving the eye slightly, perhaps without turning the head.  
         [0009]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of a computer system of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of a procedure environment and monitor(s) prior to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of a procedure environment and wearable display of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing of a wearable display of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of a wearable display of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a schematic block diagram of a computer-based system of the present invention. In this, a processor  110  is provided to execute stored programs that are generally stored within a memory  120 . The processor  110  can be any processor, perhaps an Intel Pentium-4® CPU or the like. The memory  120  is connected to the processor and can be any memory suitable for connection with the selected processor  110 , such as SRAM, DRAM, SDRAM, RDRAM, DDR, DDR-2, etc. The firmware  125  is possibly a read-only memory that is connected to the processor  110  and may contain initialization software, sometimes known as BIOS.  
         [0018]     This initialization software usually operates when power is applied to the system or when the system is reset. Sometimes, the software is read and executed directly from the firmware  125 . Alternately, the initialization software may be copied into the memory  120  and executed from the memory  120  to improve performance.  
         [0019]     Also connected to the processor  110  is a system bus  130  for connecting peripheral subsystems such as an image capture apparatus  135 , a hard disk  140 , a CDROM  150 , a first graphics adapter  160 , a second graphics adapter  180 , an eye position detector  190  and a keyboard  170 . The first graphics adapter  160  receives commands and display information from the system bus  130  and generates a display image that is displayed on the display  165 . Likewise, the second graphics adapter  180  receives commands and display information from the system bus  130  and generates a display image that is displayed on the wearable display  185 .  
         [0020]     In general, the hard disk  140  may be used to store programs, executable code and data persistently, while the CDROM  150  may be used to load said programs, executable code and data from removable media onto the hard disk  140 . These peripherals are meant to be examples of input/output devices, persistent storage and removable media storage. Other examples of persistent storage include core memory, FRAM, flash memory, etc. Other examples of removable media storage include CDRW, DVD, DVD writeable, compact flash, other removable flash media, floppy disk, ZIP®, laser disk, etc. Other devices may be connected to the system through the system bus  130  or with other input-output functions. Examples of these devices include printers; mice; graphics tablets; joysticks; and communications adapters such as modems and Ethernet adapters. In another embodiment, a single graphics adapter may drive both displays ( 165  and  185 ); perhaps with the same display information or perhaps with different display information on each display ( 165  and  185 ). In yet another embodiment of the present invention, only one graphics adapter is present and all display information is displayed on the display of the wearable display  185 .  
         [0021]     The image capture device  135  may be configured to capture images during the procedure. In one embodiment, the image capture device is a fluoroscope, generating fluoroscopic images of internal organs on command during an operation. For example, an orthopedic surgeon may use this device to capture an image of the two sections of a broken bone to guide in the placement of a pin. The fluoroscope uses x-ray radiation or other forms of radiation to capture images of internal organs before or during an operation. An example of a fluoroscope is the GE Medical Systems  9800 , often referred to as the “C-Arm,” perhaps because the radiation emitter and capture element are mounted on an arm that resembles the letter ‘C’ so that it may be manipulated around the patient&#39;s body. Although  FIG. 1  shows an exemplary computing system; the present invention is not limited to any particular computer system architecture.  
         [0022]     In some embodiments, there is an eye position detector  190  for monitoring the focus of at least one eye of the person wearing the wearable display. In those embodiments, the eye position detector calculates the general location at which the wearer is looking, allowing the system to blank the wearable display when the wearer is looking straight ahead and enabling the display when the wearer looks toward the location where the display would normally appear.  
         [0023]     In some embodiments, there is a voice input system for capturing verbal commands. This voice input system may consist of a microphone  196  connected to an audio input circuit  195  that converts audio signals into digital data that can be processed by the Processor  110  where various algorithms may process the digital audio signals to recognize verbal commands such as “capture image,” “blank display” and “enable display.” 
         [0024]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a schematic block diagram of a procedure environment and monitor(s) prior to the present invention. Prior to the present invention, the person(s) performing the procedure  210  (e.g., a surgeon) on a patient  220  would have to turn their head away from the focus of the procedure to view information such as x-rays, fluoroscopic images, CT scans, procedure instructions, remote instructions, etc. presented on the monitor(s)  230 . The procedure may be an orthopedic, neurosurgical, urologic or vascular operation in which case the procedure environment may be an operating room. Furthermore, especially in cramped operating rooms, the surgeon may have to look around other people or equipment to see the monitor(s)  230 . The procedure may be, for example, a complicated operation requiring many hours of detailed work. In this, the surgeon  210  may become tired and fatigued during a long procedure. Many procedures or operations require many hours of detailed steps. Adding to the fatigue is the constant turning of the surgeon&#39;s head to view the monitor  230 , focusing on the monitor  230 , and then turning back to the patient  220  and refocusing on the patient  220 . The images shown on the monitor may be fluoroscopic images captured from a fluoroscope  290 , often in the configuration of the letter “C” allowing images to be captured of the patient  220  at various angles.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a schematic block diagram of a procedure environment and wearable display of the present invention. In the present invention, the person(s) performing the procedure  310  (e.g., a surgeon operating on a patient  320 ) would have access to important information provided by a wearable display  335 . A wearable display is one that moves with the person wearing it and is visible without requiring a great deal of movement. Heads-up displays are an example of wearable displays and generally consist of a display element such as an LCD  350  affixed to an apparatus that is worn on the person&#39;s head, perhaps mounted to an eyeglass frame. The image or information  340  appears on the display  350 . The procedure may be an orthopedic, neurosurgical, urologic or vascular operation in which case the procedure environment may be an operating room. By displaying important information such as x-rays, fluoroscopic images, CT scans, MRI images, procedure instructions, remote instructions, etc. within the field of view of the person(s) performing the procedure  310 , fatigue may be reduced since they would not be required to turn their head to access the information. The information would be visible by a slight movement of their eye. In this example, a fluoroscopic image  340  of the patient  320  is captured during the operation by fluoroscope  390  and is displayed on the heads-up display  350 . The exploded view  340  shows what the surgeon  310  might see on the display  350 , perhaps a broken bone with pin inserted  330 .  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a schematic block diagram of a procedure environment of the present invention. In the present invention, the person(s) performing the procedure  410  (e.g., a surgeon) would have access to important information provided by a wearable display  460  located on one or both lenses of a pair of glasses  450 . The procedure may be, for example, a complicated operation requiring many hours of detailed work. By displaying important information such as x-rays, fluoroscopic images, CT scans, procedure instructions, remote instructions, etc. within the field of view of the person(s) performing the procedure, fatigue may be reduced since they would not be required to turn their head to access the information. The information would be visible by a slight movement of their eye. In this example, a fluoroscopic image  440  is displayed within a rectangular area  460  of glasses  450 . In this embodiment, part of all or one or both lenses of the glasses  450  worn by the surgeon  410  would contain an integrated display, perhaps an LCD that when off, would appear as clear glass and when enabled, display an image, in this example, an image of a fractured bone with a repair pin  430 . In another embodiment of the present invention, a sensor or eye position detector  190  is integrated into the wearable display and configured to detect where the wearer is looking. Using information from the eye position detector  190 , the system can blank the display when the wearer is looking substantially straight ahead, e.g., looking at the patient, and enable the display when the wearer is looking substantially where they would expect the display to appear, possibly reducing distractions caused by continuously displaying information within the wearer&#39;s field of vision.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a schematic block diagram of a procedure environment of the present invention. In the present invention, the person(s) performing the procedure  510  (e.g., a surgeon) would have access to important information provided by a wearable display  560  located on one or both lenses of a pair of glasses  550 . By displaying important information such as x-rays, fluoroscopic images, CT scans, procedure instructions, remote instructions, etc. within the field of view of the person(s) performing the procedure, fatigue may be reduced since they would not be required to turn their head to access the information. The information would be visible by a slight movement of their eye. In this example, a fluoroscopic image  530  is projected by a projector  540  onto an area  560  of a lens of glasses  550  worn by surgeon  510 . In another embodiment of the present invention, a sensor or eye position detector  190  is integrated into the wearable display and configured to detect where the wearer is looking. Using information from the eye position detector  190 , the system can blank the display when the wearer is looking substantially straight ahead, e.g., looking at the patient, and enable the display when the wearer is looking substantially where they would expect the display to appear, possibly reducing distractions caused by continuously displaying information within the wearer&#39;s field of vision.  
         [0028]     It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.