Apparatus for positioning a medical instrument relative to a patient

• US 20030208207A1
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laparocision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gmp Surgical Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Layer, James H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,347,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3405 using mechanical guide means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms

Abstract

An apparatus for receiving and positioning a medical instrument relative to the body of a patient when the instrument is positioned partially within the body or completely outside the body. The apparatus comprises a housing and a motor assembly positioned within the housing. The motor assembly includes a motor and a first medical instrument engaging member operatively connected to the motor and moveable relative to the housing in response to the operation of the motor. A second medical instrument engaging member cooperates with the first medical instrument engaging member to drive the medical instrument within the housing when the medical instrument is positioned within the housing between the first and second medical instrument engaging members. The apparatus can form a portion of a trocar, a structure secured to a trocar or a structure that is free of a connection to a trocar or other medical instrument support.

Claims

1. A trocar for receiving and positioning a medical instrument, said trocar comprising:

a housing and a motor assembly positioned within said housing, said motor assembly including a motor, a first medical instrument engaging member operatively connected to said motor and moveable relative to said housing, and a second medical instrument engaging member, wherein when the medical instrument is positioned within said housing between the first and second medical instrument engaging members, the operation of said motor causes said first and second medical instrument engaging members to move the medical instrument in a first direction.

2. A trocar according to claim 1 wherein said first medical instrument engaging member includes a drive roller and said second medical instrument engaging member includes an idler roller biased in the direction of said first medical instrument engaging member.

3. A trocar according to claim 2 wherein said rollers include an outer surface at least partially covered by a friction material, and wherein said friction material engages the medical instrument when the rollers move in response to the operation of said motor.

4. A trocar according to claim 1 wherein said motor further comprises a third medical instrument engaging member including a drive roller.

5. A trocar according to claim 4 wherein said motor further comprises a fourth medical instrument engaging member including a idler roller that is biased toward the third medical instrument engaging member.

6. A trocar according to claim 1 further comprising a system for rotating the medical instrument when positioned within said trocar, said system including a rotatable member supporting said first and second medical instrument engaging members and at least one drive roller for moving said rotatable member and said medical instrument engaging members relative to said housing of said trocar.

7. A trocar according to claim 6 wherein said system further includes a motor coupled to said at least one drive roller for rotating said drive roller relative to said trocar.

8. A trocar according to claim 7 wherein said at least one drive roller of said system further includes a plurality of rollers that engage said rotatable support member and move said rotatable support member in a substantially circular direction about the longitudinal axis of said trocar.

9. A trocar according to claim 1 further including a spring that biases said second medical instrument engaging member toward said first medical instrument engaging member.

10. A trocar according to claim 1 wherein said trocar is securable to an instrument positioning system that is capable of moving said trocar about multiple axes.

11. A trocar according to claim 2 wherein said drive roller includes a central opening through which said motor extends.

14. A trocar according to claim 1 wherein said trocar further comprises an elongated tubular portion including a percutaneous tip.

15. A trocar according to claim 2 wherein said motor includes an output shaft coupled to said drive roller for rotating said drive roller relative to said housing.

16. A trocar according to claim 2 wherein said drive roller rotates in a first direction for advancing the medical instrument into the trocar and in a second direction for retracting the medical instrument from within the trocar.

12. A trocar according to claim 111 wherein said motor includes a drive wheel that engages an interior support ring of said drive roller to operatively connect said motor and said drive roller.

13. A trocar according to claim 12 wherein an exterior surface of said support ring carries a friction material for engaging and moving the medical instrument in response to the operation of said motor.

17. An apparatus for moving a medical instrument in at least one direction, said apparatus comprising:

an elongated trocar and a drive assembly releasably secured to the elongated trocar, said drive assembly comprising a housing including an opening for receiving the medical instrument, at least one motor, at least one drive roller operatively coupled to said motor, wherein the rotation of said drive roller causes the medical instrument to move within the trocar.

18. An apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a clamp for releasably securing said drive assembly to said trocar.

19. An apparatus of claim 18 wherein said trocar includes a necked region around which said clamp is releasably secured.

20. An apparatus of claim 17 further comprising at least one pinch roller, and wherein said rollers each include an outer surface at least partially covered by a friction material, and wherein said friction material engages the medical instrument when the rollers move in response to the operation of said at least one motor.

21. An apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a system for rotating the medical instrument when positioned within said trocar, said system including a rotatable member supporting said rollers and at least one rotational drive roller for moving said rotatable member along a substantially circular path relative to said housing.

22. An apparatus of claim 21 wherein said system further includes a motor coupled to said at least one rotational drive roller for rotating said at least one rotational drive roller relative to said housing.

23. An apparatus of claim 21 wherein said at least one rotational drive roller of said system further includes a plurality of rotational drive rollers that engage said rotatable support member and move said rotatable support member along said substantially circular path.

24. An apparatus of claim 20 further including a spring that biases said pinch roller toward said drive roller.

25. An apparatus of claim 17 wherein said drive assembly is securable to an instrument positioning system that is capable of moving said trocar about multiple axes.

26. An apparatus of claim 17 wherein said trocar comprises an elongated tubular portion including a percutaneous tip.

27. An apparatus of claim 17 wherein said drive assembly includes an opening for receiving an elongated support member, and wherein said housing is moveable along the length of said elongated support member.

28. An apparatus of claim 17 wherein said drive assembly includes a plurality of drive rollers and a plurality of pinch rollers.

29. An apparatus of claim 17 wherein said trocar further comprises a member for securely coupling said trocar to a positioning system.

30. An apparatus of claim 17 wherein said motor includes an output shaft coupled to said drive roller for rotating said drive roller, and wherein said drive roller rotates in a first direction for advancing the medical instrument into the trocar and in a second direction for retracting the medical instrument from within the trocar.

31. An apparatus for positioning a medical instrument relative to the body of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

a medical instrument drive assembly comprising a motor, a drive roller operatively coupled to said motor, an idler roller for cooperating with said drive roller for moving the medical instrument and a housing, said housing comprising a first housing portion supporting one of said drive roller and said idler roller and a second housing portion supporting the other of said drive roller and said idler roller, said second housing portion being moveable relative to said first housing portion.

32. An apparatus of claim 31 wherein said second housing portion is pivotable relative to said first housing portion.

33. An apparatus of claim 31 wherein said rollers each include an outer surface at least partially covered by a friction material, and wherein said friction material engages the medical instrument when the rollers move in response to the operation of said motor.

34. An apparatus of claim 31 wherein said second housing portion supports said idler roller, and further including a spring that biases said idler roller and said second housing portion toward said drive roller.

35. An apparatus of claim 31 further comprising a member for securely coupling said housing to a positioning system.

36. An apparatus of claim 35 wherein said housing further comprises an opening for receiving the elongated coupling member, and wherein said housing is incrementally movable along the length of said elongated coupling member.

37. An apparatus of claim 31 wherein said motor and drive roller are positioned within said first housing portion, and wherein said idler roller is pivotally secured within said housing so that said idler roller pivots away from said drive roller when the medical instrument is being positioned within said housing and said idler roller pivots toward said drive roller when the medical instrument is removed.

38. An apparatus of claim 31 wherein said motor includes an output shaft coupled to said drive roller for rotating said drive roller relative to said housing.

39. An apparatus of claim 38 wherein said drive roller rotates in a first direction for advancing the medical instrument into said housing and in a second direction for retracting the medical instrument from within said housing.

40. A powered trocar for engaging and positioning a medical instrument relative to the body of a patient, said powered trocar comprising:

a first portion for housing a drive assembly, said drive assembly comprising at least one motor, at least one drive roller mechanically coupled to said motor, said drive roller including a friction material for contacting and moving the medical instrument; and

a second portion extending from said first portion for positioning proximate the patient, said second portion including an opening through which the medical instrument extends from said trocar.

41. A powered trocar according to claim 40 wherein said drive assembly further comprises a second drive roller and a pair of pinch rollers that are biased in the direction of said drive rollers.

42. A powered trocar according to claim 40 further comprising a system for rotating the medical instrument within said trocar, said system including a rotatable member supporting said rollers and at least one rotational drive roller for moving said rotatable member relative to said first portion.

43. A powered trocar according to claim 42 wherein said system further includes a motor coupled to said at least one rotational drive roller for rotating said at least one rotational drive roller relative to said trocar.

44. A powered trocar according to claim 43 wherein said at least one rotational drive roller of said system further includes a plurality of rotational drive rollers that engage said rotatable support member and move said rotatable support member in a substantially circular direction about the longitudinal axis of said trocar.

45. A powered trocar according to claim 40 wherein said drive roller includes a central opening through which said motor extends.

46. A powered trocar according to claim 45 wherein said motor includes a drive wheel that engages an interior support ring of said drive roller.

47. A powered trocar according to claim 46 wherein an exterior surface of said support ring carries a friction material for engaging and moving the medical instrument in response to the operation of said motor.

48. A powered trocar according to claim 40 wherein a seal extends between said first and second portions of said trocar.

49. A powered trocar according to claim 40 wherein said second portion of said powered trocar includes an elongated tubular section having a percutaneous tip.

50. A powered trocar according to claim 40 further comprising a member for securely coupling said powered trocar to a positioning system.

51. A powered trocar according to claim 40 further comprising a seal for securing about the medical instrument when the medical instrument is positioned within said first portion of said powered trocar.

52. A powered trocar according to claim 40 wherein said motor includes an output shaft coupled to said drive roller for rotating said drive roller.

53. A powered trocar according to claim 40 wherein said drive roller rotates in a first direction for advancing the medical instrument into the trocar and in a second direction for retracting the medical instrument from within the trocar.