Flexible instrument

• US 20020087049A1
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rogers, Gary, Brock, David L., Weitzner, Barry, Lee, Woojin
• Granted Patent: US 7,371,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3462 with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with different-sized instruments, reduction ports, adapter seals expandable cannulas A61B17/3417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00088 using thermistors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00331 with preformed bends
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00986 Malecots, e.g. slotted tubes, of which the distal end is pulled to deflect side struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0437 the barbs being resilient or spring-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 : for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0645 : being elastically deformed for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0648 : threaded, e.g. tacks with a screw thread
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22069 : Immobilising; Stabilising
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 : the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2939 : Details of linkages or pivot points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 : Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2059 : Mechanical position encoders
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 : for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 : Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/715 : Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 : Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/744 : Mouse
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 : augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 : using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/506 : using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 : Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 : Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 : for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 : Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 : Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 : Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/77 : Manipulators with motion or force scaling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 : for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 : By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4893 : Nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 : Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2466 : Delivery devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 3/04 : involving servo mechanisms servo-actuated heads B25J15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/104 : with cables, chains or ribbons

Abstract

A remote control flexible instrument system, employing a shaft which supports a tool, is described in which the has proximal and distal ends with at least a portion thereof extending through a lumen of the human body so as to locate the shaft at an internal target site. A master station including an input device provides control of the instrument situated at a slave station. The master station can control at least one degree-of-freedom of the flexible instrument. A controller intercouples the master and slave stations and is operated in accordance with a computer algorithm that receives a command from the input device for controlling at least one degree-of-freedom of the catheter so as to respond in accordance with action at the input device. The flexible instrument further comprises a controlled flexible segment along the shaft, for controlled bending at the flexible segment to guide the shaft and to dispose the tool at an operative site.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a flexible guide shaft having a distal end disposed at a predetermined location in a subject;

a flexible inner shaft having a proximal end and a distal end supporting at its distal end a tool, the inner shaft being insertable into the guide shaft so as to dispose the tool at an operative site; and

a drive unit coupled with the inner shaft for providing controlled actuation of the tool, the drive unit being remote controllably drivable by a user via a manually controllable device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible inner shaft includes at its proximal end a mechanically drivable mechanism drivably coupled to the tool.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a mounting mechanism drivably intercoupled with the drive unit, the mechanically drivable mechanism being readily mountable on the mounting mechanism for drivable intercoupling with the drive unit.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the drive unit is disposed at a first location remote from a second location at which the mounting mechanism is disposed.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the drive unit comprises a plurality of motors, each motor being readily drivably interconnectable to and disconnectable from the mechanically drivable mechanism.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the drive unit is readily manually portable.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the mounting mechanism is readily engageable with and disengageable from the mechanically drivable mechanism.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the flexible shafts extend to the mechanically drivable mechanism, the flexible shafts and mechanically drivable mechanism being readily manually portable.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the guide shaft supports an inflatable balloon, for holding the distal end of the flexible guide at the predetermined location.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible inner shaft has a controlled flexible segment controlled from the drive unit for controlling a bending action thereat.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the flexible guide shaft has a controlled flexible segment controlled from the drive unit for controlling a bending action thereat.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein inner shaft and the tool is constructed and arranged as a single piece disposable unit.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the flexible guide shaft is disposable.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the drive unit also intercouples with the flexible guide shaft for controlled movement thereof.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the flexible guide shaft has controlled flexible segment and the drive unit controls bending at the flexible segment of the flexible guide shaft.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the operative segments of both shafts are positioned about their distal ends.

17. The device of claim 1, further comprising cabling extending along the inner shaft, controlled from the drive unit, and for actuation of the tool.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising an input device and a computation system coupled to the drive unit, the computation system capable of receiving commands from the input device thereby operating the drive unit.

19. A medical device comprising:

a flexible inner shaft inserted within a flexible guide shaft, a tool being disposed at a distal end of the inner shaft for insertion into a subject;

a drive unit coupled with the inner shaft and the guide shaft independently, the drive unit capable of independently effecting movement of each shaft to at least one degree of freedom; and

a user input interface remote from the drive unit, for remote controllably manipulating the inner and guide shafts.

20. A medical device comprising:

a flexible guide shaft having a distal end disposed at a predetermined location in a subject;

a flexible disposable inner shaft having a proximal end and a distal end supporting at its distal end a tool, the inner shaft being insertable through the guide shaft so as to dispose the tool at an operative site; and

a drive unit coupled with the inner shaft for providing controlled actuation of the tool and controlled deformation of one or more flexible portions of the inner shaft, the drive unit being remote controllably drivable by a user via a manually controllable device;

wherein the proximal end of the inner shaft includes a mechanically drivable mechanism drivably couplable to the drive unit, the mechanically drivable mechanism being disposable together with the tool as a unit.