Method and apparatus for performing minimally invasive cardiac procedures

• US 6,994,703 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Limited (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Wright, James, Laby, Keith Phillip, Wang, Yulun, Uecker, Darrin R., Wilson, Jeff, Jordan, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US10/310,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/10, 606/11, 606/13, 606/41, 606/43, 606/106, 606/107, 606/130, 606/160, 704/3, 704200-210, 704/231, 600101-104, 600106-109, 600/114, 414/2, 901/2, 901/6, 901 8- 10, 901 14- 18, 901/30, 901/36, 901/46
• US Class Current: 606/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00252 for by-pass connections, i.e. connections from heart chamber to blood vessel or from blood vessel to blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00703 correcting for movement of heart, e.g. ECG-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1107 for blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1135 End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections Y-shaped blood vessel prostheses A61F2002/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2059 Mechanical position encoders
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• 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 34/75 : Manipulators having means for prevention or compensation of hand tremors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 : Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/77 : Manipulators with motion or force scaling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 : specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/00 : Containers, covers, furniture or holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments, e.g. sterile covers drapes specially adapted for instruments A61B46/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 : Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45119 : Telesurgery with local assistent, voice communication

Abstract

A system for performing minimally invasive cardiac procedures. The system includes a pair of surgical instruments that are coupled to a pair of robotic arms. The instruments have end effectors that can be manipulated to hold and suture tissue. The robotic arms are coupled to a pair of master handles by a controller. The handles can be moved by the surgeon to produce a corresponding movement of the end effectors. The movement of the handles is scaled so that the end effectors have a corresponding movement that is different, typically smaller, than the movement performed by the hands of the surgeon. The scale factor is adjustable so that the surgeon can control the resolution of the end effector movement. The scale factor of the end effector can be set to zero to prevent movement of the end effector. An input button may also be provided so that the end effector only moves when the input button is depressed by the surgeon.

Claims

1. A medical robotic system, comprising:

a robotic arm;

a surgical instrument coupled to said robotic arm;

an input device; and

,

a controller that receives an input from said input device and computes an output to move said robotic arm, said computation including at least one scale factor that scales a movement of said robotic arm relative to a movement of said input device and a filter to filter a hand tremor of an operator that moves said input device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input button that is coupled to said controller so that when in an active state said robotic arm follows the movement of said input device and when in an inactive state said robotic arm does not follow the movement of said input device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device includes a handle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said input device includes a gripper that can actuate an end effector of said surgical instrument;

motion of the gripper corresponding to motion of the end effector.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said gripper provides a force feedback that corresponds to a force applied by said end effector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the force feedback has a scale factor.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said filter filtering hand tremor in the frequency range of 6–

12 hertz.

8. A medical robotic system, comprising:

a surgical instrument;

robotic means for moving said surgical instrument;

input means for allowing an operator to move said surgical instrument; and

,

control means for receiving an input from said input device and computing an output to move said robotic means, said computation including a scale factor that scales a movement of said robotic means relative to a movement of said input means and a filter to filter a hand tremor of an operator that moves said input means.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an input button that is coupled to said control means so that when in an active state said robotic means follows the movement of said input means and when in an inactive state said robotic means does not follow the movement of said input device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said input means includes a handle.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said filter filtering hand tremor in the frequency range of 6–

12 hertz.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said input means includes a gripper that can actuate an end effector of said surgical instrument, motion of the gripper corresponding to motion of the end effector.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said gripper provides a force feedback that corresponds to a force applied by said end effector.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the force feedback has a scale factor.

15. A method for deactivating a medical robotic arm, comprising:

moving an input device to cause a corresponding movement of a robotic arm that is coupled to a surgical instrument;

scaling the movement of the robotic arm relative to the movement of the input device with a scale factor; and

filtering a hand tremor of an operator moving the input device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising resetting the scale factor to a non-zero value and depressing an input button so that the robotic arm does not move in conjunction with movement of the input device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising actuating an end effector of to surgical instrument by moving a gripper of the input device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a force feedback through the gripper.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising setting a scale factor of the force feedback.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising filtering a hand tremor in the frequency range of 6–

12 hertz of an operator moving the input device.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising scaling one direction of movement of the robotic arm relative to an input movement direction so that movement of the robotic arm is prevented in one direction while being allowed in other directions.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising scaling a movement of the instrument relative to an input movement so that movement of the instrument is prevented.