MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL ILLUMINATION

• US 20080064931A1
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Shafer, David, Schena, Bruce
• Application Number:
  US11/762,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064931A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/178
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00149 using articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/002 having rod-lens arrangements A61B1/055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/06 with illuminating arrangements
• 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 2017/00225 Systems for controlling multiple different instruments, e.g. microsurgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00314 Separate linked members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00318 Steering mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0034 adapted to be inserted through a working channel of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 : Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3447 : Linked multiple cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2061 : using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 : for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 : Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/306 : Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 : penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/32 : operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 : Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 : Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 : Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 : using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 : in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 : for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

A surgical instrument extends through a guide tube in a minimally invasive surgical system. The instrument may be an operative instrument or a camera instrument. One or more illumination devices, such as LEDs, are place on a side of the instrument. A cooling channel in the instrument cools the illumination device(s).

Claims

1. A minimally invasive surgical instrument assembly comprising:

a guide tube;

an elongate body that extends through the guide tube, wherein a distal segment of the elongate body extends beyond a distal end of the guide tube; and

an illumination device positioned at a side of the distal segment of the body.

2. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a cooling channel in the body;

wherein the cooling channel is proximate the illumination device.

3. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 2:

wherein cooling fluid in the cooling channel recirculates after cooling the illumination device.

4. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 2:

wherein cooling fluid from the cooling channel is discharged into a patient after cooling the illumination device.

5. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 2:

wherein cooling fluid from the cooling channel is directed to flow over an imaging port of an endoscopic imaging system after cooling the illumination device.

6. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1:

wherein the illumination device comprises a light emitting diode.

7. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1:

wherein the distal segment of the body is substantially rigid, and

wherein the distal segment of the body is movable with reference to the segment of the body that is within the guide tube.

8. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1:

wherein the distal segment of the body is flexible.

9. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a surgical instrument end effector coupled to the distal segment of the body.

10. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

an endoscopic image capture component coupled to the distal segment of the body.

11. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a second elongate body that extends through the guide tube; and

an endoscopic image capture component coupled to a distal end of the second elongate body.

12. A method comprising:

extending an elongate body through a minimally invasive surgical instrument assembly guide tube; and

illuminating a surgical site with an illumination device positioned at a side of a distal segment of the body.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

cooling the illumination device by using a cooling channel in the body.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

recirculating fluid in the cooling channel after the fluid has cooled the illumination device.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

discharging fluid from the cooling channel into a patient after the fluid has cooled the illumination device.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

directing fluid from the cooling channel to flow over an imaging port of an endoscopic imaging system after the fluid has cooled the illumination device.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

moving an illumination field of the illumination device by moving a rigid segment of the body with reference to the segment of the body that is within the guide tube.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

moving an illumination field of the illumination device by moving a flexible segment of the body.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

coupling an end effector at a distal end of the body.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

coupling an endoscopic image capture component at a distal end of the body.

21. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

capturing an image of the surgical site with an image capture component coupled to a distal end of a second elongate body that extends through the guide tube.

22. The method of claim 12:

wherein the illumination device comprises a light emitting diode.

23. A minimally invasive surgical instrument assembly comprising:

a guide tube;

an elongate body that extends through the guide tube, wherein a distal segment of the elongate body extends beyond a distal end of the guide tube;

an illumination device positioned on the distal segment of the body;

a cooling channel in the body, wherein the cooling channel is proximate the illumination device; and

a fluid in the cooling channel, wherein the fluid carries heat from the illumination device.

24. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 23:

wherein the fluid is discharged into a patient after carrying heat from the illumination device.