Surgical instrument

• US 20050021078A1
• Filed: 09/03/2002
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vleugels Holding B.V.
• Original Assignee: Vleugels Holding B.V.
• Inventors: Lazeroms, Markus Cornelis Jakobus, Vleugels, Michel Petronella Hubertus
• Granted Patent: US 7,300,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback

Abstract

The invention relates to an instrument for surgery, in particular minimally invasive surgery. The instrument includes means for feeding back a force which is exerted on the working element of the instrument to the operating element. These means include at least a first force sensor for measuring the force which is exerted on the working element, a control unit and a first actuator. On the basis of a signal which originates from the first force sensor, the control unit controls at least the first actuator in order to control the operating element. Furthermore, the means preferably include a first position sensor for measuring a position of the working element with respect to the frame. The control unit advantageously determines an impedance which the working element is subject to as a result of the presence of a tissue or the like, on the basis of which impedance the control unit controls at least the first actuator.

Claims

1. An instrument for surgery, in particular minimally invasive surgery, said instrument comprising:

an elongate frame which, in the vicinity of a first end thereof, comprises an operating element (3), and, at a second end thereof, at least one working element (4), characterized in that the instrument (1) comprises means for feeding back a force which is exerted on the working element (4) of the instrument to the operating element (3), which means comprise at least a first force sensor (6) for measuring the force which is exerted on the working element, a control unit (10) and a first actuator (11) which is coupled to the operating element, the control unit controlling at least the first actuator on the basis of a signal which originates from the first force sensor.

2. The instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the means further comprise a first position sensor (7) for measuring a position of the working element (4) with respect to the frame (2).

3. The instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (10) determines an impedance to which the working element (4) is subject on the basis of the force which is exerted on the working element, the position in which the working element is located with respect to the frame (2) and a speed at which the working element is moving with respect to the frame, the control unit controlling at least the first actuator (11) on the basis of the impedance.

4. The instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the means further comprise a second force sensor (8) for measuring a force which is exerted on the operating element (3) and a second position sensor (9) for determining a position of the operating element with respect to the frame.

5. The instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the instrument (1) has a connecting rod (13), which is coupled to the working element (4) and to the operating element (3) in order to drive the working element.

6. The instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the instrument (1) has a connecting rod (13) which is coupled to the working element (4) in order to drive the working element, the connecting rod being driven by a second actuator (12) which is controlled by the control unit (10).

7. The instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that the control unit (10) determines an impedance to which the operating element (3) is subject on the basis of the force which is exerted on the operating element, the position in which the operating element is located with respect to the frame (2) and a speed at which the operating element is moving with respect to the frame, the control unit controlling the actuators (11, 12) on the basis of the impedance to which the working element (4) is subject and the impedance to which the operating element is subject.

8. The instrument according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one of the force sensors (6, 8) and position sensors (7, 9) comprises a glass fibre, whereby a light source and a light sensor are positioned in the vicinity of a first end of the glass fibre, and whereby a reflective surface, which moves as a function of the position and/or force which is to be measured, is arranged at a distance from a second end of the glass fibre.

9. The instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the first force sensor (6) comprises a glass fibre (16), whereby a light source and a light sensor are arranged in the vicinity of a first end of the glass fibre, and a second end of the glass fibre is fixed to the working element (4), and whereby a reflective surface (17) is arranged on the working element (4) at a defined distance from the second end of the glass fibre, which reflective surface reflects at least a proportion of the light which originates from the light source and emerges from the second end of the glass fibre into the second end of the glass fibre.

10. The instrument according to claim 2, characterized in that the first position sensor (7) comprises a glass fibre (18), whereby a light source and a light sensor are positioned in the vicinity of a first end of the glass fibre, and a second end of the glass fibre is arranged on the frame, and whereby a reflective surface (17) which is positioned at a certain distance from the second end of the glass fibre is arranged on the working element (4), which reflective surface (19) at least partially reflects light which originates from the light source and emerges from the second end of the glass fibre into the second end of the glass fibre.

11. The instrument according to claim 6, characterized in that the actuators (11, 12) are electromagnetic linear actuators.

12. The instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the instrument (1) comprises at least two parts which are detachable from one another, of which one part is suitable for reuse and another part is suitable for single use, said two parts being coupleable to one another by means of a coupling.

13. The instrument according to claim 12, characterized in that the coupling comprises a mechanical coupling (14) and an optical coupling (15).

14. The instrument according to claim 12, characterized in that the part which is suitable for reuse comprises at least actuators (11, 12), the control unit (10), a light source, a light sensor and the operating element (3), and in that the part which is suitable for single use comprises at least the working element (4) and glass fibres (16, 18).

15. The instrument according to claim 14, characterized in that the actuators (11, 12), the control unit (10), the light source and the light sensor are accommodated in a watertight enclosure.

16. A surgical simulator, comprising an operating element (3) which is manually operable, a first actuator (11) for controlling the operating element by means of a force, and control means which are designed to control the first actuator on the basis of an impedance from an actual surgical procedure carried out using [[an]] the instrument according to claim 1.

20. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one working element is moveable with respect to the frame.

21. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the operating element is manually operable.

17. A telesurgery instrument, comprising an operating element (3) which is manually operable, a first actuator (11) for controlling the operating element by means of a force, and control means which are designed to control the first actuator on the basis of an impedance from a surgical procedure carried out remotely.

18. A force sensor for measuring a force exerted on an element, suitable in particular for use in a surgical instrument, comprising a glass fibre, whereby a light source and a light sensor are positioned in the vicinity of a first end of the glass fibre, and whereby a second end of the glass fibre is arranged on the element, and a reflective surface, which moves as a function of the force which is to be measured, furthermore is arranged on the element at a distance from the second end of the glass fibre.

19. A position sensor for measuring a position of an element with respect to a frame, suitable in particular for use in a surgical instrument, comprising a glass fibre, whereby a light source and a light sensor are positioned in the vicinity of a first end of the glass fibre and a reflective surface which moves as a function of the position which is to be measured is arranged at a distance from a second end of the glass fibre, the second end of the glass fibre being arranged on the frame and the reflective surface being arranged on the element.