FLEXIBLE INSTRUMENT INSERTION USING AN ADAPTIVE INSERTION FORCE THRESHOLD

• US 20180177556A1
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Published: 06/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Auris Surgical Robotics, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Noonan, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,543,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00149 using articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• 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 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms

Abstract

A robotic system is described for determining and using an insertion force threshold to avoid too much force being applied to a flexible instrument placed within a patient. The robotic system comprises a medical instrument comprising an elongate body, and further comprises a robotic arm coupled to the instrument as well as a controller configured to receive instrument data based in part on a current location of the elongate body, access patient data associated with the patient, determine an insertion force threshold, receive an insertion force detected by a force sensor coupled to the robotic arm, compare the insertion force with the insertion force threshold, and responsive to the insertion force exceeding the force threshold, generate a recommendation signal for the robotic system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving instrument data from a medical instrument that comprises an elongate body, the instrument data based at least in part on a current location of the elongate body;

accessing patient data associated with a patient, the patient data based at least in part on medical data associated with the patient;

determining an insertion force threshold based on at least one of the instrument data and the patient data;

receiving an insertion force detected by a force sensor;

comparing the insertion force with the insertion force threshold; and

responsive to the insertion force exceeding the insertion force threshold, generating a recommendation signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises of a leader and a sheath, the leader being telescopically disposed within the sheath, and the portion of the elongate body.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises at least one of a catheter and an endoscope.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the instrument data comprises a friction force between the elongate body and an internal anatomy of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the instrument data comprises a parameter associated with movement of the elongate body, the parameter comprising at least one of:

a current location of the elongate body;

a target location of the elongate body;

insertion length of the elongate body; and

a motion of the tip of the elongate body.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the instrument data comprises a force associated with a portion of the elongate body, the force comprising at least one of:

a contact interaction force between the tip and a portion of a tissue within a patient; and

a force on the tip.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the instrument data is generated from a second sensor coupled to a portion of the elongate body located within the patient, the second sensor being a sensor other than the force sensor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of:

a position sensor, an image sensor, and a shape sensor.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second sensor is coupled to the elongate body at a location along the elongate body located along one of:

a first region covering a volume near a tip of the leader;

a second region covering a portion of the leader in a range from a distal end of the sheath of the elongate body within the patient to an edge of the first region;

or

a third region covering the distal end of the sheath where the leader extending from as well as a portion of the sheath proximal to its distal end.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the insertion force threshold is based on a function associated with the instrument data and patient data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the insertion force threshold is based on a look-up data associated with the instrument data and patient data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the insertion force threshold is based on optimizing a metric.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the insertion force threshold is based on a machine learning algorithm with the instrument data and patient data.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the insertion force threshold is pre-determined and tagged to different portions of a pre-operative model as part of a robotic pre-operative planning stage.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the recommendation signal to a robotic system,

wherein sending the recommendation signal comprises at least one of:

sending a recommendation signal to the robotic system, when the insertion force is approaching the insertion force threshold within a predefined range;

sending a visual feedback to a user;

sending an audio feedback to a user; and

determining one or more modifications to a command to move the elongate body.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein sending the visual feedback to a user further comprises sending the visual feedback to the user when the insertion force is approaching the insertion force threshold within a predefined range;

and

wherein sending the audio feedback to a user further comprises sending the audio feedback to the user when the insertion force is approaching the insertion force threshold within a predefined range.

17. A robotic system, comprising:

a medical instrument comprising an elongate body;

a robotic arm coupled to the instrument; and

a controller configured to;

receive instrument data based at least in part on a current location of the elongate body,

access patient data associated with a patient, the patient data based at least in part on medical data associated with the patient,

determine an insertion force threshold based on the instrument data and the patient data,

receive an insertion force detected by a force sensor coupled to the robotic arm, the insertion force applied by the arm to the instrument,

compare the insertion force with the insertion force threshold, and

responsive to the insertion force exceeding the insertion force threshold, generate a recommendation signal for the robotic system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the instrument data comprises a friction force between the elongate body and an internal anatomy of the patient.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the instrument data comprises a parameter associated with movement of the instrument, the parameter comprising at least one of:

a current location of the elongate body;

a target location of the elongate body;

a motion of the tip.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the instrument data comprises a force associated with a portion of the elongate body, the force comprising at least one of:

a contact interaction force between the tip and a portion of a tissue within a patient;

a force on the tip.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the instrument data is generated from a second sensor coupled to a portion of the elongate body located within the patient, the second sensor being a sensor other than the force sensor.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of:

a position sensor, an image sensor, and a shape sensor.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the second sensor is coupled to the elongate body at a location along the elongate body located along one of:

a first region covering a volume near a tip of the leader;

a second region covering a portion of the leader in a range from a distal end of the sheath of the elongate body within the patient to an edge of the first region;

or

a third region covering the distal end of the sheath where the leader extending from as well as a portion of the sheath proximal to its distal end.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the insertion force threshold is based on a function associated with the instrument data and patient data.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the insertion force threshold is based on a look-up data associated with the instrument data and patient data.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the insertion force threshold is based on optimizing a metric.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the insertion force threshold is based on a machine learning algorithm with the instrument data and patient data.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the insertion force threshold is pre-determined and tagged to different portions of a pre-operative model as part of a robotic pre-operative planning stage.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to send the recommendation signal to the robotic system, the sending of the recommendation signal including at least one of:

sending an recommendation signal to the robotic system when the insertion force is approaching the insertion force threshold within a predefined range;

sending a visual feedback to a user;

sending an audio feedback to a user; and

determining one or more modifications to a command to move the elongate body.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein sending the visual feedback to a user further comprises sending the visual feedback to the user when the insertion force is approaching the insertion force threshold within a predefined range;

and

wherein sending the audio feedback to a user further comprises sending the audio feedback to the user when the insertion force is approaching the insertion force threshold within a predefined range.