MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL SYSTEM

• US 20150250546A1
• Filed: 05/19/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Mohr, Catherine J., Rosa, David J., Larkin, David Q., Cooper, Thomas G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,980,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

The distal end of a surgical instrument is movable in all six Cartesian degrees of freedom independently of other components of a telemanipulated surgical system. The surgical instrument extends through a guide tube. The distal end is moved by actuators that are telemanipulatively controlled.

Claims

1. A minimally invasive surgical system comprising:

a guide tube;

a surgical instrument comprising a distal end, wherein the surgical instrument extends through the guide tube;

a plurality of telemanipulation actuators that move the distal end of the surgical instrument with all six Cartesian degrees of freedom; and

wherein the degrees of freedom of the distal end of the surgical instrument are independent of degrees of freedom of the guide tube.

2. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube is substantially rigid.

3. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube is substantially rigid and curved.

4. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second plurality of telemanipulation actuators that move the guide tube.

5. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 4:

wherein the second plurality of actuators move a distal end of the guide tube with at least two translational degrees of freedom.

6. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube comprises a passively flexible segment.

7. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 6:

wherein the passively flexible segment is the most distal segment of the guide tube.

8. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 6:

wherein the passively flexible segment is effectively lockable to maintain a flexed position.

9. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 6:

wherein compliance of the passively flexible segment is controlled to be continuously variable between an effectively flaccid state and an effectively rigid state.

10. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube comprises an actively flexible segment.

11. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 10:

wherein the actively flexible segment is the most distal segment of the guide tube.

12. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 10:

wherein the actively flexible segment is lockable to maintain a flexed position.

13. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 10:

wherein compliance of the actively flexible segment is controlled to be continuously variable between a movable state and an effectively rigid state.

14. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube comprises a rigid segment and a passively flexible segment.

15. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube comprises a rigid segment and an actively flexible segment.

16. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube comprises a passively flexible segment and an actively flexible segment.

17. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube comprises a bend sensor.

18. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the guide tube comprises a stereoscopic image capture component.

19. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second guide tube;

wherein the guide tube extends through the second guide tube.

20. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 19:

wherein the second guide tube comprises a passively flexible segment.

21. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 19:

wherein the second guide tube comprises a telemanipulatively controlled actively flexible segment.

22. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

wherein the surgical instrument comprises a bend sensor.