Steerable endoscope and improved method of insertion
First Claim
1. A method of advancing an instrument along an arbitrary path, comprising:
- selectively steering a distal portion of the instrument to assume a first selected curve along the arbitrary path;
measuring a length of at least one side of the distal portion from the selected curve;
advancing the instrument distally while continuously controlling at least a proximal portion of the instrument to linearly assume the first selected curve of the distal portion in an infinitely variable motion; and
propagating the measured length from the at least one side of the distal portion to at least one side of the proximal portion while advancing the instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A steerable endoscope has an elongated body with a selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled proximal portion. The endoscope body is inserted into a patient and the selectively steerable distal portion is used to select a desired path within the patient'"'"'s body. When the endoscope body is advanced, an electronic motion controller operates the automatically controlled proximal portion to assume the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion. Another desired path is selected with the selectively steerable distal portion and the endoscope body is advanced again. As the endoscope body is further advanced, the selected curves propagate proximally along the endoscope body, and when the endoscope body is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves propagate distally along the endoscope body. This creates a serpentine motion in the endoscope body that allows it to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through, around, and between organs within the body.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of advancing an instrument along an arbitrary path, comprising:
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selectively steering a distal portion of the instrument to assume a first selected curve along the arbitrary path;
measuring a length of at least one side of the distal portion from the selected curve;
advancing the instrument distally while continuously controlling at least a proximal portion of the instrument to linearly assume the first selected curve of the distal portion in an infinitely variable motion; and
propagating the measured length from the at least one side of the distal portion to at least one side of the proximal portion while advancing the instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification