MAGNETIC-ANCHORED ROBOTIC SYSTEM

• US 20130289579A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iemis Limited
• Original Assignee: Bio-medical Engineering (HK) Limited
• Inventors: YEUNG, Chung Kwong, YUNG, Kai Leung
• Granted Patent: US 9,789,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• 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 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3423 Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands access sites for liquids A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00283 with a device releasably connected to an inner wall of the abdomen during surgery, e.g. an illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3484 Anchoring means, e.g. spreading-out umbrella-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/088 with position, velocity or acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/34 force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]

Abstract

A surgical system includes an external anchor, an internal anchor and an instrument. The external anchor is adapted to be positioned outside a body. The internal anchor is adapted to be inserted into the body via a single entrance port, positioned inside the body and magnetically coupled with the external anchor. The instrument is adapted to be inserted into the body via the single entrance port and secured to the internal anchor. The instrument includes an end-effector that has multiple degrees of movement via multiple axes.

Claims

1. A surgical system, comprising:

an external anchor that is adapted to be positioned outside a body;

an internal anchor that is adapted to be inserted into the body via a single entrance port, positioned inside the body and magnetically coupled with the external anchor; and

an instrument that is adapted to be inserted into the body via the single entrance port and secured to the internal anchor, the instrument including an end-effector and a foldable enclosure, the end-effector having multiple degrees of movement via multiple axes, the foldable enclosure having at least a first and second configuration, the first configuration providing the enclosure in a folded state adapted for insertion into the body, and the second configuration providing the enclosure in an unfolded state.

2. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the foldable enclosure includes a base and a pair of foldable flaps connected to the base.

3. The surgical system of claim 2, wherein the foldable flaps are adapted to unfold and refold in the presence of heating or cooling from the body or energy provided from an external device.

4. The surgical system of claim 2, wherein the foldable flaps can be actuated to unfold and refold by heating or cooling.

5. The surgical system of claim 2, wherein the foldable enclosure provides a spring effect that assists in unfolding the flaps, folding the flaps or holding the flaps folded.

6. The surgical system of claim 5, wherein the spring effect is provided by a shape memory alloy material.

7. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the end effector is a 3D camera.

8. The surgical system of claim 1, further comprising a console configured to control the instrument based on input by one or more operators.

9. A surgical system, comprising:

an external anchor that is adapted to be positioned outside a body;

an internal anchor that is adapted to be inserted into the body via a single entrance port, positioned inside the body and magnetically coupled with the external anchor; and

an instrument that is adapted to be inserted into the body via the single entrance port and secured to the internal anchor, the instrument including an end-effector having multiple degrees of movement via multiple axes; and

a wire, wherein

the external anchor includes an aperture through which the wire can pass.

10. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the wire is insertable into the body via a hypodermic needle.

11. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the external anchor and internal anchor are adapted to be secured by the wire thereby increasing the coupling force between the external anchor and the internal anchor.

12. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the wire has a diameter that is less than 1 mm.

13. The surgical system of claim 9, further comprising:

a gantry that secures to an operating table; and

an arm that secures to the gantry and couples to the external anchor.

14. The surgical system of claim 13, wherein the gantry repositions a magnetic field supplied by the external anchor thereby repositioning the internal anchor.

15. A surgical system, comprising:

an external anchor that is adapted to be positioned outside a body;

an internal anchor that is adapted to be inserted into the body via a single entrance port, positioned inside the body and magnetically coupled with the external anchor; and

an instrument that is adapted to be inserted into the body via the single entrance port and secured to the internal anchors, the instrument including an end-effector having multiple degrees of movement via multiple axes; and

a flexible magnetic sheet adapted for insertion into the body via the single entrance port.

16. The surgical system of claim 15, wherein the magnetic sheet is adapted to unfold or unroll and refold or roll in the presence of a magnetic field.

17. The surgical system of claim 15, wherein the magnetic sheet is adapted to unfold or unroll and refold or roll by heating or cooling.

18. The surgical system of claim 15, wherein positioning the magnetic sheet between the external anchor and the internal anchor concentrates magnetic flux between the external anchor and the internal anchor thereby increasing the coupling force between the external anchor and the internal anchor.

19. The surgical system of claim 15, further comprising a second flexible magnetic sheet adapted for insertion into the body via the single entrance port, wherein the two flexible magnetic sheets are linkable with extendable bars to form an intra-body mechanical frame.

20. A surgical method, comprising:

inserting at least two internal anchors and instruments into a body through a single entrance port, the instruments being securable to the internal anchors and each including an end-effector having multiple degrees of movement via multiple axes;

reconfiguring the internal anchors from insertion configurations to operation configurations, the operation configurations respectively having a larger contact area with a wall of the body than the insertion configurations; and

positioning at least one external anchor outside the body such that the internal anchors and the external anchor are magnetically coupled across the wall of the body.

21. The surgical method of claim 20, wherein

the instruments each include a base and a pair of foldable flaps connected to the base, and

the step of reconfiguring includes unfolding the flaps.

22. The surgical method of claim 20, further comprising

inserting a wire through the wall of the body;

and

securing the internal anchors to the at least one external anchor via the wire.

23. The surgical method of claim 20, further comprising

repositioning at least one of the internal anchors by repositioning a magnetic field generated by the external anchor;

and

providing a repelling force between the internal anchor and the external anchor to cause separation between the internal anchor and the external anchor before the step of repositioning the internal anchor.

24. The surgical method of claim 20, further comprising

inserting a flexible magnetic sheet into the body through the single entrance port;

and

positioning the flexible magnetic sheet along the wall of the body between the internal anchors and the at least one external anchor.