Insertable device and system for minimal access procedure

• US 20050014994A1
• Filed: 07/15/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Miller, Andrew T., Fowler, Dennis L., Allen, Peter K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00149 using articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/313 for introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3137 for examination of the interior of blood vessels
• 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 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/32 operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and single or multi-functional element device that can be inserted and temporarily placed or implanted into a structure having a lumen or hollow space, such as a subject'"'"'s abdominal cavity to provide therewith access to the site of interest in connection with minimally invasive surgical procedures. The insertable device may be configured such that the functional elements have various degrees of freedom of movement with respect to orienting the functional elements or elements to provide access to the site from multiple and different orientations/perspectives as the procedure dictates, e.g., to provide multiple selectable views of the site, and may provide a stereoscopic view of the site of interest.

Claims

1. A device insertable into a structure having a lumen comprising:

a first housing;

at least one functional element connected to the first housing, the functional element for use during a minimal access procedure; and

a securing element associated with the insertable device for removably securing the insertable device to or against a wall of a structure having a lumen.

2. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the at least one functional element is movably connected to the first housing, the device comprising at least one actuating element connected to the first housing and the functional element, the actuating element capable of moving the functional element in relation to the first housing in at least one degree of freedom.

3. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the securing element comprises a needle protruding from the insertable device essentially inline with an elongated axis of the device, a magnet, a clamp, and an adhesive.

4. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the securing element comprises one of a magnet, a clamp, and an adhesive.

5. The insertable device of claim 1 adopted for use in connection with minimal access surgical procedures, wherein the securing element comprises a needle protruding from the insertable device essentially inline with an elongated axis of the device, the insertable device capable therewith of being removably secured against a subject'"'"'s abdominal wall by inserting the needle into tissue of the abdominal wall.

6. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the functional element comprises a camera element.

7. The insertable device of claim 6, wherein the camera element comprising one of a CMOS imaging sensor and a CCD image sensor

8. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the functional element is a camera element comprising a lens and a CCD image sensor mounted in a lens housing having threads therein to accept the lens and to accommodate focal adjustments.

9. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the at least one functional element is movably connected to the first housing, the device comprising at least one actuating element connected to the first housing and the functional element, the actuating element capable of moving the camera element in relation to the first housing in at least one degree of freedom selected from a group consisting of:

a first degree of rotational freedom essentially orthogonal to an elongated axis of the device;

a second degree of rotational freedom essentially inline with the elongated axis; and

a third degree of translation freedom essentially inline with the elongated axis.

10. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the at least one functional element comprises a plurality of camera elements movably connected to the first housing, the device comprising a plurality of actuating element connected to the first housing and the camera elements, the actuating elements capable of moving each of the camera elements in relation to the first housing in at least one degree of freedom selected from the group consisting of:

a first degree of rotational freedom essentially orthogonal to an elongated axis of the device;

a second degree of rotational freedom essentially inline with the elongated axis; and

a third degree of translation freedom essentially inline with the elongated axis.

11. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the at least one functional element is movably connected to the first housing, the device comprising at least one actuating element connected to the first housing and the functional element, the actuating element capable of moving the camera element in relation to the first housing in a first degree of rotational freedom essentially orthogonal to an elongated axis of the device allowing the functional element to be retracted into and extracted from the first housing.

12. The insertable device of claim 11, wherein the actuating elements is a motor producing rotational movement that interfaces with the functional element to redirect the rotational movement produced by the motor in a direction essentially orthogonal to the elongated axis.

13. The insertable device of claim 12, wherein the actuating element interfaces with the functional element with a worm gear assembly.

14. The insertable device of claim 1, comprising a second housing rotatably attached to the first housing and at least one actuating element connected to the first and second housings, the actuating element thereby capable of moving the functional element in relation to the first housing in a second degree of rotational freedom essentially inline to an elongated axis of the device by rotating the first housing in relation to the second housing.

15. The insertable device of claim 1, wherein the at least one functional element is movably connected to the first housing, the device comprising at least one actuating element connected to the first housing and the functional element, the actuating element capable of moving the functional element in relation to the first housing in a third degree of longitudinal freedom essentially inline to an elongated axis of the device allowing the functional element to translate along the third degree of freedom.

16. The insertable device of claim 15, comprising a shuttle capable of moving along the elongated axis, wherein the functional element is mounted to the shuttle and the actuating element is a motor producing rotational movement connected to a lead screw that interfaces with a threaded portion of the shuttle to translate the rotational movement of the motor into longitudinal movement in the shuttle along the elongated axis.

17. The insertable device of claim 15, comprising a plurality of functional elements, a corresponding number of motors producing rotational movement, and a corresponding number of shuttles capable of moving along the elongated axis, each shuttle comprising a threaded portion and a hole, wherein each functional element is mounted to a shuttle, wherein each motor is connected to a lead screw that interfaces with the threaded portion of one of the shuttles to translate the rotational movement of the motor into longitudinal movement in the shuttle along the elongated axis, and wherein each lead screw passes through the hole of another shuttle to provide a guide for the other shuttle.

18. The insertable device of claim 17, comprising at least one actuating element mounted onto each shuttle, the actuating element capable of moving the functional elements in relation to the first housing in a first degree of rotational freedom essentially orthogonal to the elongated axis allowing the functional elements to be retracted into and extracted from the first housing.

19. The insertable device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of actuating elements are capable of moving each of the functional elements independently of each other.

20. The insertable device of claim 1, comprising a second housing rotatably attached to the first housing and at least one actuating element connected to the first and second housings, the actuating element thereby capable of rotating the first housing in relation to the second housing, wherein each housing has an access opening therein capable of aligning with each other such that the first housing may be rotated to cover the functional elements and rotated to align the access openings to expose the functional element.

21. An device insertable into a structure having a lumen, the device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing rotatably connected to the first housing;

at least one camera element comprising an image sensor movably connected to the first housing;

at least one actuating element connected to the first housing and the camera element, the actuating element capable of moving the camera element in relation to the first housing in at least one degree of freedom selected from a group consisting of;

a first degree of rotational freedom essentially orthogonal to an elongated axis of the device,

a second degree of rotational freedom essentially inline with the elongated axis, and

a third degree of longitudinal freedom essentially inline with the elongated axis; and

a securing element associated with the second housing for removably securing the device to or against a wall of a structure having a lumen.

22. An device insertable into a structure having a lumen, the device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing rotatably connected to the first housing;

a plurality of camera elements each comprising an image sensor movably connected to the first housing;

at least one actuating element connected to the first housing and the second housing, the actuating element capable of rotating the first housing in relation to the second housing;

at least one actuating element connected to each of the camera elements, the actuating element capable of moving the camera element in relation to the first housing in a first degree of rotational freedom essentially orthogonal to an elongated axis of the device; and

a securing element associated with the second housing for removably securing the device to or against a wall of a structure with a lumen.

23. A minimal access system comprising a driving device communicatively connected at least one device insertable into a structure having a lumen, the insertable device comprising:

at least one functional element for use during a minimal access procedure; and

at least one securing element for securing the insertable device against a wall of the structure having the lumen.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the insertable device comprises at least one actuating element capable of moving the functional element in at least one degree of freedom, and the driving device provides a drive signal to remotely control the movement of the functional element.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the driving device is adopted to provide hybrid control of the insertable device, wherein the driving device autonomously controls functional element movement in at least one degree of freedom.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the functional element comprises a camera element and the driving device autonomously controls camera element movement to maintain a user identified object in view while the user controls camera element movement in at least one degree of freedom to obtain an image of the site of interest from different perspectives.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the at least one functional element comprises a plurality of camera elements and wherein the driving device autonomously controls the movement of the camera elements to produce a stereoscopic image of the site of interest.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the driving device autonomously controls the camera elements to create stereo images of a site of interest in real-time based on automatic vergence algorithms.