Surgical instrument

• US 7,744,622 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Lee, Woojin, Brock, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Pedro
• Application Number:
  US10/977,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20050228440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/102, 600/103, 600/104, 600/109, 600/427, 600/114, 600/118, 600/106, 600/117, 901/2, 901/4, 901/36, 700/65, 700/83, 700/85, 700/264, 606/1, 606/130, 606/205, 606/147, 606/170, 606/167, 606/144, 606/174
• US Class Current: 606/205
• 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 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators

Abstract

A surgical instrument system for use in surgical procedures is disclosed. The surgical instrument system includes a guide assembly, a surgical tip assembly, and a drive unit. The guide assembly includes an elongated portion having a central axis of rotation, and a distal end that is positioned a radial distance away from the central axis. The surgical tip assembly may be attached to the guide assembly. The drive unit is coupled to the guide assembly for rotating the guide assembly and thereby rotating the surgical tip with respect to the central axis.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument system for use in surgical procedures, said surgical instrument system including:

a guide tube including an elongated portion having a central axis of rotation, a central opening along a longitudinal length of the guide tube, and a pre-shaped curved distal portion;

a surgical tip configured for being inserted into the proximal end of the guide tube, passed through the central opening of the guide tube, and deployed out of the curved distal portion of the guide tube; and

a drive unit including an electric motor having an output shaft coupled to the guide tube configured for rotating the guide tube with respect to the central axis of rotation in response to control signals through a user input device.

2. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the curved distal portion of the guide tube is rigid.

3. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the surgical tip is removably insertable into the guide tube.

4. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the drive unit is also configured for moving the surgical tip within at least three degrees of freedom.

5. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the drive unit is also configured for actuating the surgical tip.

6. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the surgical tip includes an end effector having opposing grip portions.

7. The surgical instrument system of claim 1, wherein the drive unit is configured for positioning the curved distal portion of the guide tube in three-dimensional space by pivoting the guide tube only in a single plane and rotating the guide tube relative to the central axis.

8. The surgical system of claim 1, further comprising:

a surgical insert to which the surgical tip is coupled;

a first coupler mounted to the proximal end of the guide tube, and

a second coupler mounted to a proximal end of the surgical insert, wherein the second coupler is configured for mating with the first coupler, and the drive unit is configured for being coupled to the first coupler.

9. A surgical instrument system for use in surgical procedures, said surgical instrument system including:

a surgical instrument comprising;

a guide tube including a proximal end and a distal end having a pre-shaped curved portion, and a central opening along a longitudinal length of the guide tube, the guide tube being configured for insertion into a patient; and

a surgical insert having an end effector that may be used in surgical procedures, the end effector configured for being inserted into the proximal end of the guide tube, passed through the central opening of the guide tube, and deployed out of the curved portion of the guide tube within the patient; and

a drive unit including an electric motor having an output shaft coupled to the surgical instrument for translating the surgical instrument along a longitudinal axis of the surgical instrument in response to control signals generated through a user input device.

10. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the drive unit is also configured for rotating the guide tube with respect to the central axis of the guide tube within the patient.

11. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the drive unit is also configured for manipulating the surgical insert relative to the guide tube within the patient.

12. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the drive unit is also configured for actuating the end effector.

13. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the drive unit is configured to manipulate the surgical instrument in least three degrees-of-freedom.

14. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the end effector includes two opposing gripper portions for use in surgical procedures.

15. The surgical system of claim 9, further comprising:

a user interface for receiving user commands;

a computer processing unit coupled to the user interface for translating the user commands into electronic signals, wherein the drive unit is coupled to the computer processing unit for manipulating the surgical instrument in accordance with the electronic signals.

16. The surgical system of claim 15, wherein the user interface comprises at least one handle that can be manipulated by the user to provide the user commands.

17. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the surgical instrument comprises a linear stage and a linear slider on which the guide tube is mounted.

18. The surgical system of claim 9, wherein the drive unit is configured for positioning the distal end of the guide tube in three-dimensional space by pivoting the guide tube only in a single plane and rotating the guide tube relative to the central axis.

19. A surgical instrument system for use in surgical procedures, said surgical instrument system including:

a surgical instrument comprising;

a guide tube including a proximal end and a distal end having a pre-shaped curved portion, and a central opening along a longitudinal length of the guide tube, the guide tube being configured for insertion into a patient; and

a surgical insert having an end effector that may be used in surgical procedures, the end effector configured for being inserted into the proximal end of the guide tube, passed through the central opening of the guide tube, and deployed out of the curved portion of the guide tube within the patient; and

a drive unit having one or more electric motors configured for manipulating the surgical instrument within at least one-degree-of freedom within the patient in response to control signals generated by a user input device,

wherein the curved distal portion of the guide tube is rigid.

20. A method of manipulating a surgical instrument, comprising the steps of:

inserting a pre-shaped curved distal portion of a guide tube into a patient;

inserting an end effector of a surgical insert into a proximal end of the guide tube, passing the end effector through a central opening of the guide tube, and deploying the end effector out of the curved distal portion of the guide tube within the patient to form a surgical instrument;

removably securing the surgical instrument in a surgical environment;

operating an electrical drive unit to effect a rotation of the curved distal portion of the guide tube relative to a central axis of the guide tube; and

actuating the end effector to perform a medical procedure in the patient.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising positioning the curved distal portion of the guide tube in three-dimensional space by pivoting the surgical instrument in a single plane and rotating the surgical instrument relative to the central axis.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the end effector actuation step is accomplished using the electrical drive unit.

21. A surgical instrument system for use in surgical procedures, said surgical instrument system including:

a surgical instrument comprising;

a guide tube including a proximal end and a distal end having a pre-shaped curved portion, and a central opening along a longitudinal length of the guide tube, the guide tube being configured for insertion into a patient; and

a surgical insert having an end effector that may be used in surgical procedures, the end effector configured for being inserted into the proximal end of the guide tube, passed through the central opening of the guide tube, and deployed out of the curved portion of the guide tube within the patient; and

a drive unit having one or more electric motors configured for manipulating the surgical instrument within at least one-degree-of freedom within the patient in response to control signals generated by a user input device,

wherein the surgical instrument comprises a first coupler mounted to the proximal end of the guide tube, and a second coupler mounted to a proximal end of the surgical insert, and wherein the second coupler is configured for mating with the first coupler, and the drive unit is configured for being coupled to the first coupler.

24. A method of manipulating a surgical instrument, comprising the steps of:

inserting a pre-shaped curved distal portion of a guide tube into a patient;

inserting an end effector of a surgical insert into a proximal end of the guide tube, passing the end effector through a central opening of the guide tube, and deploying the end effector out of the curved distal portion of the guide tube within the patient to form a surgical instrument;

removably securing the surgical instrument in a surgical environment;

rotating the curved distal portion of the guide tube relative to a central axis of the guide tube;

actuating the end effector to perform a medical procedure in the patient; and

operating an electrical drive unit to effect at least one of the guide tube rotation and the end effector actuation steps;

wherein the surgical instrument comprises a first coupler mounted to the guide tube and a second coupler mounted to the surgical insert, the method further comprising mating the first and second couplers together, and coupling the drive unit to the second coupler, wherein operation of the drive unit effects the at least one of the surgical instrument rotation and the end effector actuation steps via the second coupler.