METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING THREE-DIMENSIONAL ORIENTATION OF A STEERABLE DISTAL TIP OF AN ENDOSCOPE

• US 20070270650A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Belson, Amir, Mintz, David, Woodley, Bruce Robert, Eno, Robert, Blaha, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,568,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/145
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0053 using distributed actuators, e.g. artificial muscles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/008 Articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface

Abstract

The present invention relates, generally, to reporting the approximate three-dimensional orientation of the steerable distal portion of an endoscope to the user of the endoscope. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing the endoscope-user a display from which to more easily determine the approximate three-dimensional orientation of the steerable distal portion of the endoscope, thereby facilitating navigation of the endoscope. The present invention also relates to a system and method for limiting the amount the steerable distal portion can bend overall to reduce or eliminate the user'"'"'s ability to over-retroflex the steerable distal portion of the endoscope.

Claims

1. A system for graphically visualizing an orientation of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument, comprising:

an instrument having an elongate body, said elongate body comprising a proximal portion and a steerable distal portion;

at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, wherein actuation of said at least one tensioning member results in an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion, and wherein said approximate y-bend and approximate x-bend define an approximate overall bend of said steerable distal portion;

a graphical user interface; and

an icon representing said approximate overall bend on said graphical user interface.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said graphical user interface further comprises an indicator, wherein the location of said icon on said indicator relevant to a point of reference on said indicator represents the approximate scale of said overall bend.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said indicator is at least one oval.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said indicator is at least one square.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said graphical user interface further comprises an indicator, wherein the location of said icon on said indicator relevant to a point of reference on said indicator represents the approximate scale and approximate direction of said overall bend.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said indicator comprises a cross-hair, wherein the location of said icon along the horizontal axis of said cross-hair represents said approximate x-bend and the location of said icon along the vertical axis of said cross-hair represents said approximate y-bend of said steerable distal portion.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the intersection of said cross-hair represents an approximately straight ahead configuration of said steerable distal portion.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein a distance from a center of said cross-hair to said icon represents the degree of said approximate overall bend of said steerable distal portion.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein said cross-hair extends through the approximate center of at least one non-circular shape.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein said cross-hair extends through the approximate center of at least one circle.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one circle comprises a plurality of concentric circles.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of concentric circles comprises two circles, the inner representing 90 degrees of overall bend and the outer representing 180 degrees of overall bend of said steerable distal portion.

13. A method for graphically visualizing, an orientation of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument, said instrument comprising at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, said method comprising:

(a) actuating said at least one tensioning member to result in an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion, wherein said approximate y-bend and said approximate x-bend define an approximate overall bend of said steerable portion; and

(b) displaying on a graphical user interface an icon representing an orientation of said steerable distal portion.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein step (a) further comprises:

providing a tension of each of said at least one tensioning member, wherein said tension correlates to a plurality of approximate x-bends and a plurality of approximate y-bends, and actuating at least one of said plurality of tensioning members to achieve said tension of each of said at least one tensioning member.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein step (a) further comprises:

providing a plurality of pull-distances of said at least one tensioning member, wherein said plurality of pull-distances correlates to a plurality of approximate x-bends and a plurality of y-bends, and actuating said at least one tensioning member to achieve said pull-distance of each of said at least one tensioning member.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said graphical user interface further comprises an indicator, wherein the location of said icon on said indicator relevant to a point of reference on said indicator represents the approximate scale of said overall bend.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said indicator is at least one oval.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said indicator is at least one square.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein said graphical user interface further comprises an indicator, wherein the location of said icon on said indicator relevant to a point of reference on said indicator represents the approximate scale and approximate direction of said overall bend.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said indicator comprises a cross-hair, wherein the location of said icon on said cross-hair represents said approximate x-bend direction and said approximate y-bend direction of said steerable distal portion.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein, the distance from a center of said cross-hair to said icon represents the approximate degree of said approximate overall bend of said steerable distal portion.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said cross-hair passes through the approximate cent of at least one non-circular shape.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein said cross-hair passes through the approximate center of at least one circle.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said at least one circle comprises a plurality of concentric circles.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of concentric circles comprises two concentric circles, the inner representing 90 degrees of overall bend and the outer representing 180 degrees of overall bend of said steerable distal portion.

26. A method for preventing an over-saturated orientation of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument, said instrument comprising at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, said method comprising:

(a) obtaining a request for articulation of said steerable distal portion that would result in an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion;

(b) calculating an approximate overall bend that would result from said approximate y-bend and said approximate x-bend;

(c) setting an outer bounds of said approximate overall bend beyond which said steerable distal portion is not permitted to achieve; and

(d) actuating said at least one tensioning member to achieve said y-bend and said x-bend if said approximate overall bend resulting therefrom is equal to or less than said outer bounds, otherwise return to step (a).

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

(e) displaying on a graphical user interface an icon representing an approximate orientation of said steerable distal portion.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said graphical user interface comprises a cross-hair through the approximate center of at least one circle representing a scale for the approximate degree of said approximate overall bend.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein said at least one circle comprises a plurality of concentric circles.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein said plurality of concentric circles comprises two circles, the inner representing 90 degrees of overall bend and the outer representing 180 degrees of overall bend of said elongate instrument.

31. The method according to claim 26, wherein said calculating step further comprises:

(b) calculating said approximate overall bend by approximating said approximate overall bend using √

{square root over ((y−

bend)²+(x−

bend)²)}{square root over ((y−

bend)²+(x−

bend)²)}.

32. A method for preventing an over-saturated orientation of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument, said instrument comprising at least on tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, said method comprising:

(a) obtaining a request for articulation of said steerable distal portion that would result in an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion;

(b) calculating an approximate overall bend that would result from said approximate y-bend and said approximate x-bend;

(c) setting an outer bounds of said approximate overall bend beyond which said steerable distal portion is not permitted to achieve, wherein said outer bounds is less than said over-saturated orientation;

(d) actuating said at least one tensioning member to achieve said y-bend and said x-bend if said approximate overall bend resulting therefrom is equal to or less than said outer bounds, otherwise return to step (a); and

(e) displaying on a graphical user interface an icon representing an orientation of said steerable distal portion, wherein said graphical user interface comprises a cross-hair through the approximate center of a plurality of concentric circles, wherein the location of said icon relative to each of said plurality of concentric circles represents the approximate degree of said overall bend, and wherein the location of said icon along the horizontal and vertical axes of said cross-hair represent an approximate x- and y-direction, respectively, of said steerable distal portion.

33. A method for graphically visualizing an orientation of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument, said instrument comprising at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, said method comprising:

(a) providing tensions of each of said at least one tensioning member correlating to a plurality of approximate x-bends and a plurality of approximate y-bends;

(b) actuating said at least one tensioning member to result in a provided tension to achieve the correlated approximate y-bend and approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion, wherein said approximate y-bend and said approximate x-bend define an approximate overall bend of said steerable portion; and

(c) displaying on a graphical user interface an icon representing an approximate orientation of said steerable distal portion.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said providing step further comprises:

measuring a pull-distance of each of said at least one tensioning member, wherein said pull-distance correlates to said plurality of approximate x-bends and said plurality of y-bends.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said providing step further comprises:

receiving, from a sensor located on said steerable distal portion, a signal indicative of said overall bend, said x-bend and said y-bend of said steerable distal portion.

36. A system for graphically visualizing an approximate three-dimensional orientation of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument, comprising:

an instrument having an elongate body, said elongate body comprising a proximal portion and a steerable distal portion;

at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, wherein actuation of said at least one tensioning member results in an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion, and wherein said approximate y-bend and approximate x-bend define an approximate overall bend of said steerable distal portion;

a graphical user interface; and

a three-dimensional object on said graphical user interface representing said approximate three-dimensional configuration of said steerable distal portion relative to a distal end of said proximal portion of said elongate instrument.

37. A method for graphically visualizing an orientation of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument, said instrument comprising at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, said method comprising:

(a) actuating said at least one tensioning member to result in an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion, wherein said approximate y-bend and said approximate x-bend define an approximate overall bend of said steerable portion; and

(b) displaying on a graphical user interface a graphical object representing said steerable distal portion showing in three-dimensional graphics an orientation of said steerable distal portion relative to a distal end of said proximal portion.