CN-116194058-B - Systems and methods including linking locators

Abstract

The present application provides systems and methods that include two or more locators linked together by a linker. For example, the present application provides systems and methods for placing two or more linked pointing devices within a biological system and detecting such pointing devices for targeting a surgical or other medical procedure. For example, the present application provides a system comprising one or more micro-detectable devices linked together that are placed into a target location and activated by remotely introducing a magnetic field.

Inventors

• JASON HILTNER
• BRIAN DEAN

Assignees

• 艾鲁森特医疗股份有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20210910

Priority Date

20200916

Claims (17)

1. 1. A system comprising a linking locator, comprising: a) At least two of the tags are used to transmit information, B) A linker attached to the at least two tags; c) A remote activation device that generates a magnetic field in the region of each tag, and D) A plurality of sensors configured to detect a signal from each tag when exposed to the magnetic field; wherein the linker maintains the at least two tags in a first position when the tags are present in the insertion device and in a second position when the linker is present in the organization.
2. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wire or line, wherein the wire or line is attached to and/or passes through the linker at two or more points on the linker.
3. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the wire or line is attached to and/or threaded through the linker such that the two or more tags remain in a first position relative to each other, and wherein the linker is configured to maintain the two or more tags in a second position when the wire or line is unattached and/or not threaded through the linker, wherein the second position is different from the first position.
4. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the linker comprises a torsion spring.
5. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the labels is attached to the linker by a heat shrink tube.
6. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the tags in the second position is directed generally along an X-dimension and at least one of the tags is directed generally along a Y-dimension.
7. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two tags comprise a first tag, a second tag, and a third tag, and wherein when in the second position i) the first tag is directed generally along an X dimension, ii) the second tag is directed generally along a Y dimension, and iii) the third tag is directed generally along a Z dimension.
8. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the linker is a flexible linker.
9. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the linker comprises plastic.
10. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the linker comprises a shape memory alloy.
11. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the shape memory alloy comprises a nickel-titanium alloy.
12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the nickel-titanium alloy is nitinol 55 or nitinol 60.
13. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two tags are positioned to form an angle in the range of 15 degrees to 40 degrees.
14. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the angle is 25 degrees.
15. 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the linker comprises a grip portion that is gripable by a surgical tool.
16. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the grip is a sphere.
17. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the linker is positioned within a package having a slot exposing the grip.

Description

Systems and methods including linking locators Cross Reference to Related Applications The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/078,971 filed on 9/16/2020, the contents of which provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field The present application provides systems and methods that include two or more locators (localization agent) linked together by a linker. For example, the present application provides systems and methods for placing two or more linked pointing devices within a biological system and detecting such pointing devices for targeting a surgical or other medical procedure. For example, the present application provides a system comprising one or more micro-detectable devices linked together that are placed into a target location and activated by remotely introducing a magnetic field. Background A common and serious challenge for many medical procedures is the accurate positioning of the treatment area. For example, localization of lesions (such as tumors) to be treated (including surgical resections) has been a challenge for the medical community. Existing systems are expensive, complex, time consuming, and often uncomfortable for the patient. The latest methods for tissue localization for medical procedures involve the use of a localizing agent, such as an RFID tag, that can be placed in the patient. However, these tags may migrate within the patient between placement and performance of the surgical procedure, resulting in an inability to properly mark the desired location within the patient. Furthermore, the orientation of the tag may shift after placement in the patient, resulting in a loss of accuracy in identifying the tag for 3-dimensional positioning in the patient. A larger patient may present additional problems with efficacy, wherein the signal generated by a single tag is not strong enough to be detected due to the volume of tissue present. Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods for tissue localization for medical procedures. Disclosure of Invention The present application provides systems and methods that include two or more locators (e.g., "tags") linked together by a linker. For example, the present application provides systems and methods for placing two or more linked tags within a biological system and detecting such tags for targeting a surgical or other medical procedure. While the following description uses examples of human surgical procedures to illustrate the application, it should be understood that the application is not limited thereto and includes veterinary applications, agricultural applications, industrial applications, mechanical applications, military applications (e.g., sensing and removal of hazardous materials from a subject or area), aerospace applications, and the like. In some embodiments, the present application provides systems that include one or more of each of a) at least two tags, b) a linker attached to each of the at least two tags, c) a remote activation device (e.g., an excitation assembly) that generates a magnetic field (e.g., a time-varying magnetic field) within the area of each tag, and d) a plurality of sensors configured to detect signals from the at least two tags when the tags are exposed to the magnetic field. Each of the at least two tags is attached (e.g., linked) to at least one other tag by a linker. Tags that are connected to each other by a linker are referred to as "link tags" in the present application. In some embodiments, the linker is a flexible linker. In some embodiments, the linker comprises plastic. In other embodiments, the linker comprises a shape memory alloy. For example, the linker may comprise a nickel-titanium alloy (e.g., nitinol 60 or nitinol 55). In some embodiments, the at least two labels are positioned to form an angle in the range of 15 degrees to 40 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle is 25 degrees. In some embodiments, the linker includes a grip portion that is gripable by a surgical tool. In some embodiments, the grip is a sphere. In some embodiments, the linker is positioned within a package that includes a slot exposing the grip. In some embodiments, the linker comprises a torsion spring. In some embodiments, each of the labels is attached to the linker by a heat shrink tube. In some embodiments, the linker is configured to hold the at least two tags in the first position when the tags are present in the insertion device. In some embodiments, the linker is configured to maintain the tags in a second position when present in the tissue, wherein at least one of the tags in the second position is directed generally along the X-dimension and at least one of the tags is directed generally along the Y-dimension. In some embodiments, the at least two tags include a first tag, a second tag, and a third tag. In such embodiments, in the second position i) the first label is directed generally along the X