Surgical retractor including three-dimensional (3d) imaging capability

Abstract

A surgical retractor includes a shaft and an end effector extending distally from the shaft. The end effector includes a distal finger extending about at least a portion of a perimeter of a geometric shape and configured to facilitate retraction of tissue. The end effector further includes an ultrasound sensor array including a plurality of ultrasound sensors disposed in spaced-apart relation along the distal finger. Each ultrasound sensor of the plurality of ultrasound sensors is configured to emit an ultrasound wave and receive an echoed wave. The echoed waves received by the plurality of ultrasound sensors are output to be reconstructed to produce a real-time 3D ultrasound video image.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of surgery, comprising:
 inserting an end effector of a surgical retractor into an internal surgical site;   manipulating the end effector to retract tissue;   positioning the end effector on tissue of interest;   activating an ultrasound sensor array on the end effector to produce a real-time 3D ultrasound video image; and   viewing the real-time 3D ultrasound video image on a visual display.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein manipulating the end effector includes articulating the end effector of the surgical retractor relative to a shaft of the surgical retractor. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising moving the end effector along the tissue of interest and continuing to view the real-time 3D ultrasound video image on the visual display. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining a location of a tumor based on the viewing of the real-time 3D ultrasound video image on the visual display. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising treating or removing the tumor. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein manipulating the end effector of the surgical retractor includes rotating the end effector of the surgical retractor or a shaft of the surgical retractor clockwise or counterclockwise relative to a housing of the surgical retractor. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein manipulating the end effector of the surgical retractor includes articulating the end effector of the surgical retractor about at least two axes relative to a shaft of the surgical retractor. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein manipulating the end effector of the surgical retractor includes articulating a distal finger of the end effector about at least a portion of a perimeter of an arcuate geometric shape relative to a shaft of the surgical retractor. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein articulating the end effector of the surgical retractor relative to the shaft of the surgical retractor includes articulating a distal finger of the end effector about at least a portion of a circumference of a circle. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound sensor array includes a plurality of ultrasound sensors in spaced-apart relation along a distal finger of the end effector. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein activating the ultrasound sensor array on the end effector to produce the real-time 3D ultrasound video image includes emitting ultrasound waves and receiving echoed waves produced by reflection of the ultrasound waves against the tissue of interest. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein viewing the real-time 3D ultrasound video image on the visual display includes processing, via an image processing unit, the received echoed waves and reconstructing the received echoed waves to produce the real-time 3D ultrasound video image. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein determining a location of the tumor further includes marking the tumor. 
     
     
         14 . A method of surgery, comprising:
 retracting tissue via an end effector of a surgical retractor;   generating a real-time 3D ultrasound video image via an ultrasound sensory array disposed on the end effector; and   displaying the real-time 3D ultrasound video image on a visual display.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising locating a tissue of interest using the real-time 3D ultrasound video image. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the tissue of interest is a tumor. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein retracting tissue via the end effector includes articulating a distal finger of the end effector relative to a shaft of the surgical retractor. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein generating the real-time 3D ultrasound video image includes emitting ultrasound waves from the ultrasound sensory array and receiving echoed waves produced by reflection of the ultrasound waves against a tissue of interest. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein displaying the real-time 3D ultrasound video on the visual display includes reconstructing the received echoed waves to produce the real-time 3D ultrasound video image. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the ultrasound sensor array includes a plurality of ultrasound sensors in spaced-apart relation along a distal finger of the end effector.