CATHETER SYSTEM

• US 20100076309A1
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corindus, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Corindus Ltd.
• Inventors: Thompson, Stanley O., Lightcap, Jeffrey, Bromander, Thomas, Wenderow, Tal, Kennedy, James J. III, Taylor, Jon B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,168,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/434
• 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 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0113 Mechanical advancing means, e.g. catheter dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09041 Mechanisms for insertion of guide wires

Abstract

A catheter system including a housing and a drive mechanism supported by the housing is provided. The drive mechanism includes an engagement structure configured to engage and to impart movement to a catheter device. The engagement structure defines a path for the catheter device, and the engagement structure is moveable between an engaged position in which the engagement structure engages the catheter device and a disengaged position in which the engagement structure does not engage the catheter device. The catheter system includes a biasing element configured to bias the engagement structure toward the engaged position, and the biasing element is aligned generally parallel to the path defined by the engagement structure.

Claims

1. A robotic catheter system, the system comprising:

a housing;

a drive mechanism supported by the housing, the drive mechanism including an engagement structure configured to engage and to impart movement to a catheter device, the engagement structure defining a path for the catheter device, the engagement structure moveable between an engaged position in which the engagement structure engages the catheter device and a disengaged position in which the engagement structure does not engage the catheter device; and

a biasing element configured to bias the engagement structure toward the engaged position, the biasing element aligned generally parallel to the path defined by the engagement structure.

2. The robotic catheter system of claim 1, wherein the biasing element is a spring.

3. The robotic catheter system of claim 1, wherein the engagement structure includes a first wheel and a second wheel, wherein the second wheel is moveable relative to the first wheel to move the engagement structure between the engaged and disengaged positions.

4. The robotic catheter system of claim 3, wherein the second wheel pivots about a pivot point to move the second wheel between the engaged and disengaged positions.

5. The robotic catheter system of claim 4, further comprising:

a chassis rotatably supported by the housing; and

an L-shaped structure having a first end pivotally coupled to the chassis;

wherein the second wheel is coupled to the L-shaped structure.

6. The robotic catheter system of claim 5, wherein the first wheel is rotatably mounted to the chassis at a fixed location.

7. The robotic catheter system of claim 6, further comprising an engagement arm, wherein the engagement arm is moveable between:

a first position in which the engagement arm engages the L-shaped structure to cause the L-shaped structure to pivot to move the second wheel from the engaged position to the disengaged position; and

a second position in which the engagement arm is not in contact with the L-shaped structure allowing the biasing element to move the second wheel from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

8. The robotic catheter system of claim 7, further comprising a second biasing element that biases the engagement arm toward the second position.

9. The robotic catheter system of claim 8, wherein the biasing element and the second biasing element are springs aligned such that the longitudinal axis of each spring is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drive mechanism.

10. The robotic catheter system of claim 9, wherein the engagement arm is attached to a plate extending in a direction generally perpendicular to a plane defined by the plate.

11. The robotic catheter system of claim 10, wherein the engagement arm engages a second end of the L-shaped structure.

12. The robotic catheter system of claim 3, wherein the first wheel includes a first engagement surface and the second wheel includes a second engagement surface and the catheter device is engaged between the first and second engagement surfaces when the second wheel is in the engaged position.

13. The robotic catheter system of claim 3, wherein the catheter device is a guide wire and the drive mechanism is a rotational drive mechanism configured to rotate the guide wire about the longitudinal axis of the guide wire.

14. The robotic catheter system of claim 1, wherein the engagement structure includes a plurality of wheel pairs, each wheel pair including a first wheel and a second wheel;

wherein the second wheel of each pair is moveable relative to the first wheel of each pair between the engaged and disengaged positions; and

further comprising a biasing element for each wheel pair biasing the second wheel of each pair toward the engaged position, each biasing element aligned ii generally parallel to the path defined by the engagement structure.

15. The robotic catheter system of claim 14, wherein the biasing element of each wheel pair includes a spring, wherein the axes of compression of each spring are aligned with each other.

16. A cassette for use with a robotic catheter system, the cassette comprising:

a housing;

an axial drive mechanism supported by the housing configured to impart axial movement to a guide wire;

a rotational drive mechanism supported by the housing to rotate the guide wire about its longitudinal axis, the rotational drive mechanism including an engagement structure to releasably engage the guide wire, the engagement structure configured to apply sufficient force to rotate the guide wire about a longitudinal axis of the guide wire while permitting the guide wire to be moved axially by the axial drive mechanism, the engagement structure defining a path for the guide wire, the engagement structure moveable between an engaged position in which the engagement structure engages the guide wire and a disengaged position in which the engagement structure does not engage the guide wire; and

a biasing element configured to bias the engagement structure toward the engaged position, the biasing element aligned generally parallel to the path defined by the engagement structure.

17. The cassette of claim 16, wherein the biasing element is aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drive mechanism.

18. The cassette of claim 16, wherein the engagement structure includes a first wheel and a second wheel, wherein the second wheel is moveable relative to the first wheel to move the engagement structure between the engaged and disengaged positions.

19. The cassette of claim 18, wherein the cassette is a disposable cassette having a use restriction element for functionally disabling the cassette from being used for a second procedure.

20. A cassette for use with a robotic catheter system, the cassette comprising:

a housing;

a first axial drive mechanism supported by the housing to releasably engage and drive a guide wire along a longitudinal axis of the guide wire;

a second axial drive mechanism supported by the housing to releasably engage and drive a working catheter along a longitudinal axis of the working catheter; and

a rotational drive mechanism supported by the housing to rotate the guide wire about its longitudinal axis, the rotational drive mechanism comprising;

a pivoting structure;

a chassis;

a channel formed in the chassis for receiving the guide wire;

a first wheel coupled to the chassis;

a second wheel coupled to the pivoting structure, wherein the pivoting structure pivots about a pivot point to move the second wheel between an engaged position in which the guide wire is engaged between the first and second wheels and a disengaged position in which the guide wire is not engaged between the first and the second wheels; and

a first spring biasing the second wheel toward the engaged position, the first spring aligned generally parallel to the channel.

21. The cassette of claim 20, wherein the rotational drive mechanism further includes:

at least one additional wheel pair, each additional wheel pair including a first wheel and a second wheel;

at least one additional pivoting structure for each additional wheel pair;

wherein the second wheel of the additional wheel pair is coupled to the additional pivoting structure;

wherein the additional pivoting structure pivots about a pivot point to move the second wheel of the additional wheel pair between an engaged position in which the guide wire is engaged between the first and second wheels of the additional ii wheel pair and a disengaged position in which the guide wire is not engaged between the first and the second wheels of the additional wheel pair; and

at least one additional spring for each additional wheel pair, the additional spring biasing the second wheel of the additional wheel pair to the engaged position, the axis of compression of the additional spring aligned with the axis of compression of the first spring.