Robotic surgical instruments for irrigation, aspiration, and blowing

• US 20070005002A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Bailey, David, Hoornaert, Dean, Millman, Paul, Larkin, David, Mintz, David
• Application Number:
  US11/341,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005002A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00203 with speech control or speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/506 using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/74 Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/743 by changing the cross-section of the line, e.g. flow regulating valves A61M1/7413 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/76 Handpieces specially for suction-irrigation A61M1/774, aspiration tips A61M1/84
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/003 Blowing gases other than for carrying powders, e.g. for inflating, dilating or rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2473 Valve comprising a non-deformable, movable element, e.g. ball-valve, valve with movable stopper or reciprocating element

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical instrument is provided for the control of flows of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site. The robotic surgical instrument may include a housing, a flow control system, a hollow tube, and one or more hose fittings. The housing to couple the instrument to a robotic arm. The flow control system mounted in the housing includes one or more controlled valves to control the flow of one or more fluids. The hollow tube has a first end mounted in the housing coupled to the flow control system. A second end of the hollow tube has one or more openings to allow the flow of fluids into and out of the surgical site. The hose fittings have a first end coupled to the flow control system and a second end to couple to hoses.

Claims

1. A robotic surgical instrument comprising:

a first robotically controlled valve having a first port and a second port, the first robotically control valve to control a flow of a first fluid in response to first control signals;

a hollow tube having a first end coupled to the second port of the first robotically controlled valve, the hollow tube having an opening at a second end to direct the flow of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site; and

a first hose having a first end coupled to the first port of the first robotically controlled valve, the first hose to transport the first fluid to the first robotically controlled valve.

2. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a second robotically controlled valve having a first port and a second port, the second robotically control valve to control a flow of a second fluid in response to second control signals;

a three-way coupler coupled between the second ports of the first and second robotically controlled valves and the first end of the hollow tube; and

,

a second hose having a first end coupled to the first port of the second robotically controlled valve.

3. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein

the first robotically controlled valve is a three-way valve having a third port to further control a flow of a second fluid in response to the first control signals;

and,

the robotic surgical instrument further comprises

a second hose having a first end coupled to the third port of the first robotically controlled valve.

4. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein

the first robotically controlled valve to couple the first port and the second port together to allow the first fluid to flow, and

the first robotically controlled valve to couple the first port and the third port together to allow the second fluid to flow.

5. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein

the first robotically controlled valve is a four-way valve having a third port and a fourth port to further control a flow of a second fluid and a third fluid in response to the first control signals;

and,

the robotic surgical instrument further comprises

a second hose having a first end coupled to the third port of the first robotically controlled valve; and

a third hose having a first end coupled to the fourth port of the first robotically controlled valve.

6. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a second robotically controlled valve having a first port and a second port, the second robotically control valve to control a flow of a second fluid in response to second control signals;

a third robotically controlled valve having a first port and a second port, the third robotically control valve to control a flow of a third fluid in response to third control signals;

a four-way coupler coupled between the second ports of the first, second, and third robotically controlled valves and the first end of the hollow tube;

a second hose having a first end coupled to the first port of the second robotically controlled valve; and

a third hose having a first end coupled to the first port of the third robotically controlled valve.

7. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 6, wherein

the first robotically controlled valve to couple the first port and the second port together to allow the first fluid to flow in response to the first control signals,

the second robotically controlled valve to couple the first port and the second port together to allow the second fluid to flow in response to the second control signals, and

the third robotically controlled valve to couple the first port and the second port together to allow the third fluid to flow in response to the third control signals.

8. A robotic surgical instrument for robotic control of flows of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site, the robotic surgical instrument comprising:

an interface base to mechanically and electrically couple to an end of a robotic arm;

a hollow tube having a proximal end mounted to the interface base and a distal end for placement in a surgical site, the hollow tube to allow the flow of fluids into and out of the surgical site;

a three-way coupler having a first port coupled to the proximal end of the hollow tube, the three-way coupler further having a second port and a third port, the three-way coupler to couple the first port, the second port, and the third port together to flow fluids there-between;

a first robotically controlled valve coupled to the interface base, the first robotically controlled valve having a first port to couple to a first hose and a second port coupled to the second port of the three-way coupler, the first robotically controlled valve to control the flows of a first fluid; and

a second robotically controlled valve coupled to the interface base, the second robotically controlled valve having a first port to couple to a second hose and a second port coupled to the third port of the three-way coupler, the second robotically controlled valve to control the flows of a second fluid.

9. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein

the three-way coupler, the first and second ports of the first robotically controlled valve, and the first and second ports of the second robotically controlled valve are hollow passages formed within a three-dimensional solid body;

and

the three-dimensional solid body further has a first opening to receive the first robotically controlled valve and a second opening to receive the second robotically controlled valve.

10. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein

the three-dimensional solid body is polyhedron shaped.

11. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, further comprising:

a first hose having a first end coupled to the first port of the first robotically controlled valve; and

a second hose having a first end coupled to the first port of the second robotically controlled valve.

12. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 11, further comprising:

a first hose fitting coupled between the first end of the first hose and the first port of the first robotically controlled valve; and

a second hose fitting coupled between the first end of the second hose and the first port of the second robotically controlled valve.

13. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein

the interface base has an electrical connector interface,

and the robotic surgical instrument further comprises

an integrated circuit coupled to the electrical connector interface, the integrated circuit to signal that the robotic surgical instrument is an irrigation/aspiration surgical instrument for control of the first robotically controlled valve and the second robotically controlled valve.

14. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein

the electrical connector interface is an array of connecting pins.

15. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein

the robotic surgical instrument is a sterile surgical instrument that is replaceable and disposable after one surgery.

16. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, further comprising:

a first spring coupled between the first robotically controlled valve and the interface base, the first spring to bias the first robotically controlled valve to a closed position, and

a second spring coupled between the second robotically controlled valve and the interface base, the second spring to bias the second robotically controlled valve to a closed position.

17. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein

the first spring is a first coiled spring around the first robotically controlled valve, and

the second spring is a second coiled spring around the second robotically controlled valve.

18. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein

the first robotically controlled valve and the second robotically controlled valve are linear motion valves.

19. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein

the first robotically controlled valve and the second robotically controlled valve are selected from the group consisting of a spool-type valve, a trumpet-type valve, a piston-type valve, a poppet-type valve, a sliding-plate-type valve, etc.

20. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein

the first robotically controlled valve and the second robotically controlled valve are rotatable valves.

21. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 20, wherein

the first robotically controlled valve and the second robotically controlled valve are selected from the group consisting of a ball-type valve, a screw-type valve, a gate-type valve, a disc-type valve, a cock-type valve, a globe-type valve, and a rotary-plate-type valve.

22. The robotic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein

the three-way coupler is a y-branch fitting or a T-fitting.