Robotically controlled medical instrument

• US 7,744,608 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Weitzner, Barry, Lee, Woojin, Chamorro, Andres III
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Pedro
• Application Number:
  US12/023,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/205, 606/130, 606/167, 606/144, 606/101, 606/1, 600/114, 600/104, 600/429, 600/407, 600/587, 901/23, 901/30
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3462 with means for changing the diameter or the orientation of the entrance port of the cannula, e.g. for use with different-sized instruments, reduction ports, adapter seals expandable cannulas A61B17/3417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00088 using thermistors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00331 with preformed bends
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00371 Multiple actuation, e.g. pushing of two buttons, or two working tips becoming operational
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 Pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2939 Details of linkages or pivot points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2059 Mechanical position encoders
• 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 2034/305 : Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/306 : Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/715 : Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/742 : Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/744 : Mouse
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 : augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 : using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/506 : using a parallelogram linkage, e.g. panthograph
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/571 : for clamping a support arm to a bed or other supports
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 : Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 : Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• 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 34/77 : Manipulators with motion or force scaling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 : for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 : By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4893 : Nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 3/04 : involving servo mechanisms servo-actuated heads B25J15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/104 : with cables, chains or ribbons

Abstract

A medical instrument assembly and robotic medical system are provided. The assembly comprises a shaft, a tool carried by the distal end of the shaft for performing a medical procedure on a patient, a controllably bendable section associated with shaft and disposed proximal to the tool, an actuation element extending within the shaft and along the bendable section for controlling actuation of the tool, another actuation element configured for actuating the bendable section, and means for decoupling motion at the bendable sections from the tool actuation. The system comprises the assembly, a user interface configured for generating commands, a drive unit coupled to the actuating element and the other actuating element, and an electric controller configured, in response to the commands, for directing the drive unit to move the actuating elements to actuate the tool and drive the other actuating element to bend the bendable section.

Claims

1. A medical instrument assembly, comprising:

a flexible elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

a tool carried by the distal end of the elongated shaft for performing a medical procedure on a patient;

at least one controllably bendable section associated with elongated shaft and disposed proximal to the tool;

at least one actuation element extending within the elongated shaft and along the at least one controllably bendable section and operable for actuating the tool;

another actuation element configured for actuating the controllably bendable section; and

means for decoupling motion at the at least one controllably bendable section from the tool actuation;

wherein each of the at least one actuation element comprises a cable; and

wherein each of the at least one actuation element further comprises a sleeve disposed about the respective cable to prevent compression of the respective cable.

2. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises a pair of jaw members that are actuated to alternately close and open.

3. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuating element is a single actuating element coupled to the tool.

4. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one actuation element comprises a helical spring disposed about the respective sleeve.

5. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the decoupling means comprises the at least one actuation element positioned at least one of a substantially center axis and substantially center plane of the controllably bendable section.

6. The medical instrument assembly of claim 5, wherein the decoupling means further comprises at least one spacer disposed within the elongated shaft for positioning the at least one actuation element at the at least one of a substantially center axis and substantially center plane of the controllably bendable section.

7. The medical instrument assembly of claim 5, wherein the controllably bendable section comprises a ball joint, and wherein the decoupling means further comprises a funnel-like orifice disposed within the ball joint through which the at least one actuation element extends for positioning the at least one actuation element at the at least one of a substantially center axis and substantially center plane of the controllably bendable section.

8. The medical instrument assembly of claim 5, wherein the controllably bendable section comprises a wrist joint, and wherein the decoupling means further comprises a pair of fixed posts between which the at least one actuation element extends for positioning the at least one actuation element at the at least one of a substantially center axis and substantially center plane of the controllably bendable section.

9. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuation element comprises a plurality of actuation elements, and wherein the decoupling means comprises the actuation elements twisted around each other.

10. The medical instrument assembly of claim 9, wherein the plurality of actuation elements are twisted around each other by substantially 180 degrees.

11. A medical instrument assembly, comprising:

a flexible elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

a tool carried by the distal end of the elongated shaft for performing a medical procedure on a patient;

at least one controllably bendable section associated with elongated shaft and disposed proximal to the tool;

at least one actuation element extending within the elongated shaft and along the at least one controllably bendable section and operable for actuating the tool;

another actuation element configured for actuating the controllably bendable section;

means for decoupling motion at the at least one controllably bendable section from the tool actuation; and

an instrument coupler mounted to the proximal end of the elongated shaft, the instrument coupler carrying a plurality of rotatable wheels to which the at least one actuation element and the other actuation element are respectively mounted.

12. The medical instrument assembly of claim 11, further comprising an adapter coupler to which the instrument coupler is configured for being removably mated, the adapter coupler having a plurality of complementary wheels that mechanically interfaces with the plurality of wheels of the instrument coupler.

13. The medical instrument assembly of claim 12, further comprising cabling extending from the adapter and configured for coupling a drive unit to the plurality of complementary wheels.

14. The medical instrument assembly of claim 11, further comprising a carriage on which the instrument coupler is mounted.

15. A robotic medical system, comprising:

a medical instrument assembly, comprising;

a flexible elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

a tool carried by the distal end of the elongated shaft for performing a medical procedure on a patient;

at least one controllably bendable section associated with elongated shaft and disposed proximal to the tool;

at least one actuation element extending within the elongated shaft and along the at least one controllably bendable section and operable for actuating the tool;

another actuation element configured for actuating the controllably bendable section;

means for decoupling motion at the at least one controllably bendable section from the tool actuation;

a user interface configured for generating at least one command;

a drive unit coupled to the at least one actuating element and the other actuating element of the medical instrument assembly, wherein the tool of the medical instrument is detachably coupled to the drive unit; and

an electric controller configured, in response to the at least one command, for directing the drive unit to move the at least one actuating element to actuate the tool and to drive the other actuating element to bend the controllably bendable section.

16. The robotic medical system of claim 15, wherein the at least one command comprises movements at the user interface, and the electric controller is configured for directing the drive unit to move the at least one actuating element and the other actuating element to effect movements of the tool and controllably bendable section corresponding to the movements at the user interface.

17. The robotic medical system of claim 15, wherein the user interface is located remotely from the drive unit.

18. The robotic medical system of claim 15, wherein the electrical controller is coupled to the drive unit via external cabling.

19. The robotic medical system of claim 15, wherein the drive unit has a motor array.

20. The robotic medical system of claim 15, wherein the drive unit is coupled to the at least one actuating element and the other actuating element via external cabling.