Automated surgical system and apparatus
DCFirst Claim
1. A surgical method, comprising the steps of:
- inserting an endoscopic instrument into a patient'"'"'s body;
obtaining a video image of internal body tissues inside said patient'"'"'s body via said endoscopic instrument;
transmitting, over an electromagnetic signaling link, a video signal encoding said video image to a remote location beyond a range of direct manual contact with said patient'"'"'s body and said endoscopic instrument;
receiving actuator control signals from said remote location via said electromagnetic signaling link;
inserting into the patient'"'"'s body a surgical instrument movable relative to the patient'"'"'s body and said endoscopic instrument; and
automatically operating said surgical instrument in response to the received actuator control signals to effect a surgical operation on said internal body tissues.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical system comprises an endoscopic instrument, a camera on the endoscopic instrument for obtaining video images of internal body tissues inside a patient'"'"'s body via the endoscopic instrument, and a transmitter operatively connected to the camera for transmitting, over a telecommunications link to a remote location beyond a range of direct manual contact with the patient'"'"'s body, a video signal encoding the video image. A receiver is provided for receiving actuator control signals from the remote location via the telecommunications link. The receiver feeds the signals to a robot actuator mechanism for controlling that mechanism to operate a surgical instrument insertable into the patient'"'"'s body.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical method, comprising the steps of:
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inserting an endoscopic instrument into a patient'"'"'s body; obtaining a video image of internal body tissues inside said patient'"'"'s body via said endoscopic instrument; transmitting, over an electromagnetic signaling link, a video signal encoding said video image to a remote location beyond a range of direct manual contact with said patient'"'"'s body and said endoscopic instrument; receiving actuator control signals from said remote location via said electromagnetic signaling link; inserting into the patient'"'"'s body a surgical instrument movable relative to the patient'"'"'s body and said endoscopic instrument; and automatically operating said surgical instrument in response to the received actuator control signals to effect a surgical operation on said internal body tissues. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A surgical system comprising:
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an endoscopic instrument; camera means on said endoscopic instrument for obtaining video images of internal body tissues inside a patient'"'"'s body via said endoscopic instrument; transmission means operatively connected to said camera means for transmitting, over an electromagnetic signaling link to a remote location beyond a range of direct manual contact with said patient'"'"'s body and said endoscopic instrument, a video signal encoding said video image; receiver means for receiving actuator control signals from said remote location via said electromagnetic signaling link; a surgical instrument insertable into the patient'"'"'s body and movable relative to the patient'"'"'s body and said endoscopic instrument; and robot actuator means operatively connected to said surgical instrument and said receiver means for actuating said surgical instrument in response to the actuator control signals received by said receiver means from said remote location. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A surgical system comprising:
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a trocar sleeve adapted for insertion through a patient'"'"'s skin surface into an internal body cavity of the patient; an endoscopic instrument having an at least partially rigid insertion portion, said endoscopic instrument being slidably inserted through said trocar sleeve so that a distal end of said endoscopic instrument is extendible into the internal body cavity of the patient; camera means on said endoscopic instrument for obtaining video images of internal body tissues inside a patient'"'"'s body via said endoscopic instrument; transmission means operatively connected to said camera means for transmitting, over an electromagnetic signaling link to a remote location beyond a range of direct manual contact with said patient'"'"'s body and said endoscopic instrument, a video signal encoding said video image; receiver means for receiving actuator control signals from said remote location via said electromagnetic signaling link; and robot actuator means operatively connected to said receiver means and at least one of said endoscopic instrument and said trocar sleeve for automatically pivoting and translating said insertion portion relative to the patient'"'"'s body in response to the actuator control signals received by said receiver means from said remote location. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification