Magnetoelectric Surgical Tools for Minimally Invasive Surgery
First Claim
1. A surgical tool, comprising:
- a magnetoelectric member including at least one piezoelectric layer and at least one magnetostrictive layer, wherein said magnetoelectric member is insertable into a subject and is operable inside said subject to one or more of bend or elongate based on an applied magnetic field applied externally to said subject;
a controller which determines any difference between an actual position of said magnetoelectric member based on electrical output from said at least one piezoelectric layer and a theoretical position of said magnetoelectric member based on said applied magnetic field; and
a feedback member which provides feedback based on an amount of any difference determined by said controller.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A magnetoelectric element of a surgical tool positioned in the body of a subject is controllably bent or elongated under the influence of an applied magnetic field. A piezoelectric layer in the magnetoelectric element provides output that can be used to determine the actual amount of bending or elongation of the magnetoelectric element, and this actual amount is compared to a theoretical amount of bending or elongation which would result from the applied magnetic field. Any differences between the actual and theoretical amounts provide feedback to the surgeon for performing the surgical procedure. Preferably, tactile feedback is provided to the surgeon.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A surgical tool, comprising:
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a magnetoelectric member including at least one piezoelectric layer and at least one magnetostrictive layer, wherein said magnetoelectric member is insertable into a subject and is operable inside said subject to one or more of bend or elongate based on an applied magnetic field applied externally to said subject; a controller which determines any difference between an actual position of said magnetoelectric member based on electrical output from said at least one piezoelectric layer and a theoretical position of said magnetoelectric member based on said applied magnetic field; and a feedback member which provides feedback based on an amount of any difference determined by said controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for surgical operations, comprising:
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a magnetic field generating device for generating an applied magnetic field external to a subject, where at least a portion of said applied magnetic field permeates said subject; and a surgical tool comprising a magnetoelectric member including at least one piezoelectric layer and at least one magnetostrictive layer, wherein said magnetoelectric member is insertable into said subject and is operable inside said subject to one or more of bend or elongate based on said applied magnetic field; a controller which determines any difference between an actual position of said magnetoelectric member based on electrical output from said at least one piezoelectric layer and a theoretical position of said magnetoelectric member based on said applied magnetic field; and a feedback member which provides feedback based on an amount of any difference determined by said controller. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical method, comprising the steps of:
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inserting into a subject a surgical tool which includes at least one magnetoelectric member, wherein said at least one magnetoelectric member comprises at least one piezoelectric layer and at least one magnetostrictive layer; applying a magnetic field to said subject sufficient to cause said magnetoelectric member to operate by one or more of bending or elongating based on said magnetic field; sensing the bending or elongating of said magnetoelectric element based on output from said at least one magnetostrictive layer; determining a difference between an actual position of said magnetoelectric member based on electrical output from said at least one piezoelectric layer and a theoretical position of said magnetoelectric member based on said applied magnetic field; and providing feedback to a surgeon based on an amount of any difference determined in said determining step. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating the system for surgical operations, wherein said system for surgical operations comprises a magnetoelectric member including at least one piezoelectric layer and at least one magnetostrictive layer, wherein said magnetoelectric member is insertable into a subject and is maneuverable inside said subject under the influence of a magnetic field applied externally to said subject;
- a magnetic field generating device for generating a magnetic field external to said subject;
a controller which determines any difference between an actual position of said magnetoelectric member based on electrical output from said at least one piezoelectric layer and theoretical position of said magnetoelectric member based on said applied magnetic field; and
a feedback member which provides feedback based on an amount of any difference determined by said controller, comprising steps of;a) allowing said magnetoelectric member to controllably bend in the transverse direction and expand along its axial direction; b) applying said magnetic field via said magnetic field generating device to induce strain in at least one magnetostrictive layer thereby straining at least one piezoelectric layer and causing at least one piezoelectric layer to generate electrical output; c) using electrical output from at least one piezoelectric layer to obtain real-time values of physical parameters; and d) Using the obtained values of physical parameters to produce feedback for the user via said feedback member. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- a magnetic field generating device for generating a magnetic field external to said subject;
Specification