Intubation with audiovibratory guidance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017304571-A1
Application number	US-201515518172-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2015
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	Oct 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for inserting an endoscope through an anatomical cavity to a target site. A speaker is positioned externally proximate to a patient and the endoscope is inserted into the anatomical cavity. A signal is received from at least one sensor positioned near the distal end of the endoscope. The signal is indicative of vibrations induced in internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker. A first anatomical structure in contact with the distal end of the endoscope is identified based on the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker. As the distal end of the endoscope moves from the first anatomical structure into contact with other anatomical structures along a path to the target site, the received signal indicative of induced vibrations changes correspondingly and is used to guide the endoscope to the target site.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method of inserting an endoscope through an anatomical cavity to a target site, the method comprising:
positioning a speaker externally proximate to a patient; inserting the endoscope into the anatomical cavity; receiving, from at least one sensor positioned near a distal end of the endoscope, a signal indicative of vibrations induced in internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker; and identifying a first anatomical structure in contact with the distal end of the endoscope based on the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
advancing the endoscope further into the anatomical cavity; and determining that the distal end of the endoscope has moved into contact with a second anatomical structure based on a change in the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising identifying the second anatomical structure based on the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein inserting the endoscope into the anatomical cavity includes inserting the endoscope into the mouth of the patient,
wherein identifying the first anatomical structure includes identifying an epiglottis as the first anatomical structure in contact with the distal end of the endoscope, and wherein identifying the second anatomical structure includes identifying a laryngeal inlet as the second anatomical structure in contact with the distal end of the endoscope.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein positioning the speaker externally proximate to the patient includes positioning the speaker on the neck of the patient.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving, from the at least one sensor positioned near the distal end of the endoscope, the signal indicative of vibrations induced in internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker includes
receiving, from an accelerometer positioned near the distal end of the endoscope, the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissues by the externally position speaker.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving a signal from a magnetometer positioned near the distal end of the endoscope, the signal received from the magnetometer being indicative of a relative magnetic field generated by the externally positioned speaker; and determining whether the endoscope is centered in the anatomical cavity based on the signal from the magnetometer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker to a contact threshold after identifying the first anatomical structure in contact with the distal end of the endoscope; and determining that contact between the distal end of the endoscope and the first anatomical structure has been lost when the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker falls below the contact threshold.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising controllably moving the distal end of the endoscope into contact with the first anatomical structure after determining that the contact between the distal end of the endoscope and the first anatomical structure has been lost.

10 . An endoscope positioning and guidance system comprising:
a speaker positionable externally proximate to the patient; an endoscope including at least one sensor positioned near a distal end of the endoscope; and a controller configured to
receiving, from the at least one sensor positioned near the distal end of the endoscope, a signal indicative of vibrations induced in internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker, and
identify a first anatomical structure in contact with the distal end of the endoscope based on the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker.

11 . The endoscope positioning and guidance system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the distal end of the endoscope is no longer in contact with the first anatomical structure and has moved into contact with a second anatomical structure based on a change in the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker.

12 . The endoscope positioning and guidance system of claim 10 , further comprising a motorized advancement stage configured to controllably advance the endoscope further into the anatomical cavity.

13 . The endoscope positioning and guidance system of claim 10 , further comprising a turning motor configured to controllably turn the distal end of the endoscope.

14 . The endoscope positioning and guidance system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to
compare the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker to a contact threshold after identifying the first anatomical structure in contact with the distal end of the endoscope, determine that contact between the distal end of the endoscope and the first anatomical structure has been lost when the signal indicative of vibrations induced in the internal cavity tissue by the externally positioned speaker falls below the contact threshold, and operate the turning motor to controllably move the distal end of the endoscope into contact with the first anatomical structure after determining that the contact between the distal end of the endoscope and the first anatomical structure has been lost.

15 . The endoscope positioning and guidance system of claim 10 , further comprising a magnetometer positioned near the distal end of the endoscope, and wherein the controller is further configured to
receive a signal from the magnetometer indicative of a magnetic field generated by the externally positioned speaker, and determine whether the endoscope is centered in the anatomical cavity based on the signal from the magnetometer.

Assignees

• Ohio State Innovation Foundation

Inventors

• Bailey Robert
• Elsayed-Awad Hamdy Mohamed
• West Joseph Dean

Classifications

• A61B5/6885

  Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure · CPC title

• A61B1/00154

  using guiding arrangements for insertion · CPC title

• A61M16/0488 Primary

  Mouthpieces; Means for guiding, securing or introducing the tubes (guiding or introducing with laryngoscopes A61B1/267; holding devices on the body A61M25/02) · CPC title

• A61B1/00006

  of control signals · CPC title

• A61B1/00055

  for alerting the user · CPC title