ROBOTIC CATHETER ROTATABLE DEVICE CARTRIDGE

• US 20090247944A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Kirschenman, Mark B., Hauck, John A., Tegg, Troy T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,317,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/95.40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• 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 2090/372 Details of monitor hardware
• 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 90/10 for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0105 Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning systems for detection of markers A61B

Abstract

A robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge may include a housing member attachable to a drive mechanism for rotating the cartridge and a catheter attached to the cartridge along an axial direction of the catheter. A slider block may be generally slidable relative to the housing and engaged with one or more steering wires for controlling movement of the catheter in a transverse direction relative to the axial direction. The catheter may include the steering wire(s) engaged therewith and movable in the transverse direction when the slider block is linearly driven in a predetermined direction.

Claims

1. A robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge comprising:

a housing member attachable to a drive mechanism for rotating the cartridge and a catheter attached to the cartridge along an axial direction of the catheter; and

at least one slider block generally slidable relative to the housing and engaged with at least one steering wire for controlling movement of the catheter in a transverse direction relative to the axial direction, the catheter having the steering wire engaged therewith and being movable in the transverse direction when the slider block is linearly driven in a predetermined direction.

2. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the housing is removably attachable to a drive head for rotatable attachment to the drive mechanism, the slider block is engageable with a drive head mount for linear driving of the slider block.

3. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 2, further comprising at least one magnetic mount in one of the housing and the drive head for engagement with a complementary surface on the other one of the housing and the drive head for releasable locking of the cartridge with the drive head.

4. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 2, further comprising at least one recess in one of the housing and the drive head for engagement with at least one complementary locking detent on the other one of the housing and the drive head for releasable locking of the cartridge with the drive head.

5. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising two steering wires for controlling movement of the catheter in generally opposing transverse directions.

6. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the slider block is linearly driveable to pull the steering wire generally linearly along a length of the steering wire.

7. A robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge comprising:

a housing member attachable to a drive mechanism for rotating the cartridge and a surgically insertable device attached to the cartridge generally along an axial direction of the surgically insertable device; and

at least one first element generally linearly movable along the housing and engaged with at least one steering wire for controlling movement of the surgically insertable device in a transverse direction relative to the axial direction, the surgically insertable device having the steering wire engaged therewith and being movable in the transverse direction when the first element is linearly driven in a predetermined direction.

8. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the housing is removably attachable to a drive head for rotatable attachment to the drive mechanism, the first element is engageable with a second element on the drive head for linear driving of the first element.

9. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, further comprising at least one first engageable member on one of the housing and the drive head for engagement with at least one complementary engageable member on the other one of the housing and the drive head for releasable locking of the cartridge with the drive head.

10. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, further comprising at least one magnetic mount in one of the housing and the drive head for engagement with a complementary surface on the other one of the housing and the drive head for releasable locking of the cartridge with the drive head.

11. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, further comprising two steering wires for controlling movement of the surgically insertable device in generally opposing transverse directions.

12. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the first element is linearly driveable to pull the steering wire generally linearly along a length of the steering wire.

13. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the first element is a slider block linearly slidable along a channel on or in the housing.

14. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the surgically insertable device is one of a catheter, a sheath and a transseptal needle.

15. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the linear moveability of the first element generally eliminates any backlash or discontinuities during driving of the surgically insertable device.

16. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the cartridge is infinitely rotatable.

17. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, further comprising integrated force sensors operatively connected to the cartridge for permitting active tensioning of the steering wire for controlling movement of the surgically insertable device.

18. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 7, further comprising integrated force sensors operatively connected to the cartridge for limiting stress on the surgically insertable device by limiting movement of the cartridge.