Apparatus and method for performing surgery on a patient

• US 6,723,087 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: O'Neill, William G., Steele, William
• Primary Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US10/017,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20030114838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 901/22, 901/37, 606/1
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus and method for performing surgery on a patient. The surgical apparatus includes an input device, at least one hydraulic amplifier operably attached to the input device, and an actuator operably attached to the hydraulic amplifier. Input to the input device is hydraulically modulated via the hydraulic amplifier to manipulate the actuator. The surgical method includes receiving a mechanical input for an action. The mechanical input is hydraulically modulated. The action is controlled based on the hydraulically modulated input.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing heart surgery on a patient comprising:

an input device including an adaptor wrist portion rotably attached to an adaptor arm portion, and a slidable sled rotably attached to the adaptor arm portion;

at least one hydraulic amplifier operably attached to the input device; and

an actuator operably attached to the hydraulic amplifier;

wherein the input to the input device is hydraulically modulated via the hydraulic amplifier to manipulate the actuator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each rotable attachment comprises a ball joint.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising hydraulic fluid for communication between the hydraulic amplifier and at least one of the input device and the actuator.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the hydraulic fluid comprises a biocompatible fluid.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises:

a joystick for receiving the input; and

at least one hydraulic cylinder operably attached to the joystick and integral to the adaptor, wherein the hydraulic cylinder transmits the received joystick input from the input device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an adaptor range of motion is provided comprising at least one axis of motion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hydraulic amplifier comprises:

a housing including a first opening and a second opening formed therein;

a first amplifier piston slidably carried in the first opening; and

a second amplifier piston slidably carried in the second opening, wherein movement of the first amplifier piston produces a modulated movement of the second amplifier piston.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises:

at least one gripper; and

a manipulator including at least one hydraulic cylinder operably attached to the gripper, wherein the hydraulic cylinder transmits the modulated input to the gripper for manipulating a surgical instrument.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the surgical instrument is selected from a group consisting of a gripping device, a hemostatic device, a cauterizing device, a suturing device, an ablation device, an anastomtic device, a stabilizing device, a retention device, a video device, a laser device, a harvesting device, and a current delivery device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the actuator comprises an injection molded plastic material.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the injected molded plastic material comprises an insert molded steel material.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the manipulator comprises:

a manipulator wrist portion;

a manipulator arm portion operably attached to the manipulator wrist portion with a first manipulator ball joint; and

a sled slidably carried within a manipulator housing and operably attached to the manipulator arm portion with a second manipulator ball joint, wherein a manipulator range of motion is provided.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the manipulator range of motion comprises at least one axis of motion.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first manipulator ball joint and the second manipulator ball joint comprises a spring loaded joint.

15. A method of performing heart surgery on a patient comprising:

receiving a mechanical input for an action by an adaptor;

transmitting the mechanical input from the adaptor;

providing an adaptor range of motion;

hydraulically modulating the mechanical input;

controlling the action based on the hydraulically modulated input with a manipulator; and

providing a manipulator range of motion that corresponds to the adaptor range of motion.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein receiving the mechanical input comprises translating a surgeon hand movement.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein modulating the mechanical input comprises dampening the mechanical input.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein modulating the mechanical input comprises increasing precision of the mechanical input.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein modulating the mechanical input comprises increasing a resulting force of the mechanical input.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the action is performed on a beating heart.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the action is performed on a coronary artery.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the action is selected from a group consisting of gripping, impeding blood flow, clamping, cauterizing, suturing, ablating, joining, cutting, stabilizing, retaining, viewing, harvesting, bypassing, and delivering an electrical current.

23. An apparatus for performing heart surgery on a patient comprising:

an input device;

at least one hydraulic amplifier operably attached to the input device; and

an actuator operably attached to the hydraulic amplifier, wherein input to the input device is hydraulically modulated via the hydraulic amplifier to manipulate the actuator, the actuator including a manipulator wrist portion rotably attached, a manipulator arm portion, and a slidable sled attached to the arm portion.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising hydraulic fluid for communication between the hydraulic amplifier and at least one of the input device and the actuator.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the hydraulic fluid comprises a biocompatible fluid.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the input device comprises:

a joystick for receiving the input; and

an adaptor including at least one hydraulic cylinder operably attached to the joystick, wherein the hydraulic cylinder transmits the received joystick input from the input device.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the adaptor comprises:

an adaptor wrist portion;

an adaptor arm portion operably attached to the adaptor wrist portion with a first adaptor ball joint; and

an adaptor sled slidably carried within an adaptor housing and operably attached to the adaptor arm portion with a second adaptor ball joint, wherein an adaptor range of motion is provided.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the adaptor range of motion comprises at least one axis of motion.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the hydraulic amplifier comprises:

a housing including a first opening and a second opening formed therein;

a first amplifier piston slidably carried in the first opening; and

a second amplifier piston slidably carried in the second opening, wherein movement of the first amplifier piston produces a modulated movement of the second amplifier piston.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the actuator comprises:

at least one gripper; and

at least one hydraulic cylinder operably attached to the gripper, wherein the hydraulic cylinder transmits the modulated input to the gripper for manipulating a surgical instrument.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the surgical instrument is selected from a group consisting of a gripping device, a hemostatic device, a cauterizing device, a suturing device, an ablation device, an anastomotic device, a stabilizing device, a retention device, a video device, a laser device, a harvesting device, and a current delivery device.

32. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the actuator comprises an injection molded plastic material.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the injected molded plastic material comprises an insert molded steel material.

34. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the manipulator range of motion comprises at least one axis of motion.

35. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein each rotable attachment comprises a ball joint.