Steerable segmented endoscope and method of insertion

• US 6,610,007 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Neoguide Systems, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Milroy, James Craig, Frey, Paul DeWitt, Mcelhaney, Christine Wei Hsien, Ohline, Robert Matthew, Tartaglia, Joseph M., Belson, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAM, JOCELYN DEBRA
• Application Number:
  US09/969,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 600/145, 600/146, 600/117, 600/150, 600/151, 600/152, 600/143, 600/144, 604/95.01, 901/1
• US Class Current: 600/146
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00004 characterised by electronic signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00055 for alerting the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0053 using distributed actuators, e.g. artificial muscles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/008 Articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• 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 2034/741 Glove like input devices, e.g. "data gloves"
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe

Abstract

A steerable endoscope has an elongated body with a selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled proximal portion. The endoscope body is inserted into a patient and the selectively steerable distal portion is used to select a desired path within the patient'"'"'s body. When the endoscope body is advanced, an electronic motion controller operates the automatically controlled proximal portion to assume the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion. Another desired path is selected with the selectively steerable distal portion and the endoscope body is advanced again. As the endoscope body is further advanced, the selected curves propagate proximally along the endoscope body, and when the endoscope body is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves propagate distally along the endoscope body. This creates a serpentine motion in the endoscope body allowing it to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through or around and between organs within the body.

Claims

1. An apparatus for insertion into a body cavity, comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a selectively steerable distal end and defining at least one lumen therebetween, the elongate body comprising a plurality of segments interconnected via joints; and

at least one motor attached to each of at least a majority of segments for actuating an adjacent segment and wherein each motor is independently controllable,

wherein when the distal end assumes a selected curve, the plurality of segments are configured to propagate the selected curve along the elongate body by each motor selectively actuating the adjacent segment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the segments further comprise a backbone segment defining at least one lumen therethrough, the backbone segment being configured to pivotally attach at a first or second end to the adjacent segment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the joints are configured to pivotally interconnect the segments.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the joints are selected from the group consisting of universal joints, flexible tubes, a plurality of single degree-of-freedom joints, and any combinations thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the joints are configured to have at least 2 degrees-of-freedom.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the motor comprises a type of motor selected from the group consisting of pneumatic motors, hydraulic motors, and electromechanical motors.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the motor further comprises:

an electromechanical motor having a rotatable output shaft for actuating the adjacent segment;

a gear reduction stage attached to the electromechanical motor; and

a position encoder in electrical communication with the electromechanical motor for sensing an angular motion of the output shaft.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of cables, each cable having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the output shaft and the second end being attached to the adjacent segment such that rotating the output shaft in a first direction actuates the adjacent segment via the cable in a first direction and rotating the output shaft in a second direction actuates the adjacent segment via the cable in a second direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the cable is selected from the group consisting of filaments, strands, wires, chains, and braids.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the cable is comprised of a biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, polymers, plastics, and Nylon.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a microcontroller disposable in each of the segments for sensing the relative position of the adjacent segment and for selectively controlling the motor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the microcontroller is in communication with a master controller located away from the elongate body.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the microcontroller is in electrical communication with the master controller.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the microcontroller is in optical communication with the master controller.

15. A system for inserting an apparatus into a body cavity, comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a selectively steerable distal end and defining a lumen therebetween, the elongate body comprising a plurality of segments interconnected via joints;

at least one motor attached to each of at least a majority of segments for actuating an adjacent segment and wherein each motor is independently controllable, and wherein when the distal end assumes a selected curve, the selected curve is propagatable along the elongate body by each motor selectively actuating the adjacent segment; and

a master controller in communication with each of the segments for selectively controlling each motor to alter the relative position of the adjacent segments when the selected curve is propagated along the elongate body.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a depth referencing device having a sensor for measuring a distance the elongate body is advanced or withdrawn from the body cavity.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the sensor measures the distance via non-contact methods or contact methods.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the sensor comprises a non-contact sensor selected from the group consisting of optical sensors, infra-red sensors, and electromagnetic sensors.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the sensor comprises a contact sensor selected from the group consisting of axial motion transducers, rollers, and friction wheels.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising a steering controller in communication with the steerable distal end for choosing the selected curve.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the steering controller comprises a controller selected from the group consisting of joysticks and control wheels.

22. The system of claim 15 further comprising an imaging system for transmitting an image from the distal end to the proximal end of the elongated body.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the imaging system comprises a fiberoptic imaging bundle extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the elongate body.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the imaging system comprises a CCD or CMOS camera.

25. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one illumination source on the elongate body for providing a source of light.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the illumination source comprises at least one illumination fiber extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the elongate body.

27. The system of claim 15 further comprising a recording device in communication with the elongate body for recording images from the distal end of the elongate body.

28. The system of claim 15 wherein the elongate body is configured as an endoscope for insertion into a patient'"'"'s body.

29. The system of claim 15 wherein the elongate body is configured as a colonoscope for insertion into a patient'"'"'s colon.

30. A method of advancing an apparatus along a selected path, comprising:

providing an elongate body having a proximal end and a selectively steerable distal end, the elongate body comprising a plurality of segments interconnected via joints and at least one motor attached to each of at least a majority of segments for actuating an adjacent segment and wherein each motor is independently controllable;

selectively steering the distal end to assume a first selected curve along a desired path; and

advancing the elongate body distally while controlling the proximal end of the instrument to assume the first selected curve of the distal end.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising measuring a depth change of the elongate body while advancing the instrument distally.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising incrementing a current depth by the depth change.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising communicating to each segment to adjust a position of each segment while advancing the elongate body.

34. The method of claim 30 further comprising advancing the elongate body proximally while controlling the proximal end of the instrument to assume the first selected curve of the distal end.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising measuring a depth change of the elongate body while advancing the instrument proximally.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising decrementing a current depth by the depth change.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising communicating to each segment to adjust a position of each segment while advancing the elongate body.

38. The method of claim 30 further comprising activating at least a first motor on a first segment to actuate the first segment while advancing the elongate body distally.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising activating at least a second motor on a second segment to actuate the second segment while advancing the elongate body distally.

40. The method of claim 30 further comprising measuring an angle between each of the segments and comparing the measured angle to a predetermined range of angles prior to selectively steering the distal end.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising indicating to a user upon an indication of the measured angle not being within the predetermined range of angles.

42. The method of claim 40 further comprising placing each of the segments into a neutral position relative to one another upon an indication of the measured angle not being within the predetermined range of angles.

43. A system for determining a location of an apparatus within a body cavity, comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a selectively steerable distal end and defining a lumen therebetween, the elongate body comprising a plurality of segments interconnected via joints;

at least one motor attached to each of at least a majority of segments for actuating an adjacent segment and wherein each motor is independently controllable, and wherein when the distal end assumes a selected curve, the selected curve is propagatable along the elongate body by each motor selectively actuating the adjacent segment; and

at least one transponder disposed along the body which is detectable by an external navigational detector.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the transponder comprises a coil having a predetermined resonant frequency.

45. The system of claim 43 wherein the transponder comprises a magnet.

46. The system of claim 43 wherein the transponder is disposed at the distal end of the elongate body.

47. The system of claim 43 further comprising a plurality of additional transponders disposed along the elongate body at predetermined positions.

48. The system of claim 43 wherein the external navigational detector comprises a global positioning device for remotely determining the sensor location within the body cavity.