| abstract |
A hybrid surgical navigation system for tracking the position of body tissue. The system includes a marker (38) shaped to be mounted subcutaneously to the tissue the position of which is to be tracked. A tracker (32) located above skin level is placed near the marker. A first navigation system integral with the marker and tracker generate data indicating the position of the marker relative to the tracker. A second navigation (40) monitors the position of the tracker. The tracker also includes a transmitter for transmitting data generated by the first navigation system. Based on the data generated by the first navigation system representative of the position of the marker relative to the tracker and the data from the second navigation system representative of the position of the tracker, the position of the marker and tissue to which it is attached is determined. |