Steerable endoscope and improved method of insertion
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
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is further advanced, the selected curves propagate proximally along the endoscope body, and when the endoscope body is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves propagate distally along the endoscope body.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
38 Claims
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1-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. A method of advancing an instrument along a path, comprising:
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selectively steering a distal portion of the instrument to assume a selected curve along the path; and
creating a three dimensional model of the selected curve in the memory of an electronic motion controller. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of advancing an instrument along a path, comprising:
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attempting more than one time to selectively steer the distal portion of the instrument along the path;
selecting a curve from the attempts to selectively steer the distal portion of the instrument along the path; and
logging the curve into the memory of an electronic motion controller adapted to control the instrument. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. An apparatus, comprising:
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an elongated instrument body having a selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controllable proximal portion, the selectively steerable distal portion being configured to selectively assume a selected curve along a desired path, and the automatically controllable proximal portion being configured to propagate the selected curve along the elongated instrument body as the elongated instrument body is advanced along the selected curve;
an electronic motion controller adapted to control the instrument;
an electronic memory adapted to create and store a three dimensional model of the selected curve; and
a steering control connected electronic motion controller for selectively steering the instrument. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification