Flexible instrument

• US 7,775,972 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rogers, Gary, Brock, David L., Weitzner, Barry, Lee, Woojin
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Pedro
• Application Number:
  US11/762,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 600/146, 600/144, 600/145, 600/117, 600/150, 600/151, 600/114, 600/152, 600/143, 604/95.01, 901/1
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00042 for mechanical operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• 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 17/28 Surgical forceps for holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221; surgical scissors A61B17/3201 ; obstetrical forceps A61B17/44; for inserting intraocular lenses A61F2/1662; hand-held gripping tools in general B25B7/00 ]
• 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 2017/00318 Steering mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00331 with preformed bends
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• 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 2034/715 : 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 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 5/6852 : Catheters
• 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 probe and medical system are provided. The medical probe comprises an elongated shaft, a plurality of electromagnetic elements spaced along the elongated shaft, and a plurality of wires extending through the elongated shaft and configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements that actuate a controlled bending of the elongated shaft. The medical system may comprise the medical probe and a controller configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements via the wires to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft. The medical system may optionally comprise a user interface configured for conveying commands to the controller, in which case, the controller will be configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements via the wires to actuate a controlled bending of the elongated shaft in response to the commands.

Claims

1. A medical probe, comprising:

an elongated shaft;

a plurality of electromagnetic elements spaced along the elongated shaft; and

a plurality of wires extending through the elongated shaft and configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements that actuate a controlled bending of the elongated shaft.

2. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the elongated shaft is an intravascular shaft.

3. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic elements are electromagnetic rings.

4. The medical probe of claim 1, further comprising a lumen within the elongated shaft, wherein the electromagnetic elements are spaced within the lumen.

5. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein distal ends of the wires are respectively wound around the electromagnetic elements.

6. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic elements attract each other when energized to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft.

7. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic elements repel each other when energized to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft.

8. The medical probe of claim 3, wherein portions of the electromagnetic rings attract each other and other portions of the electromagnetic rings repel each other to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft.

9. A medical system, comprising:

a medical probe having an elongated shaft, a plurality of electromagnetic elements spaced along the elongated shaft, and a plurality of wires extending through the elongated shaft; and

a controller is configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements via the wires to actuate a controlled bending of the elongated shaft.

10. The medical system of claim 9, wherein the medical probe is an intravascular catheter.

11. The medical system of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic elements are electromagnetic rings.

12. The medical system of claim 9, further comprising a lumen within the elongated shaft, wherein the electromagnetic elements are spaced within the lumen.

13. The medical system of claim 9, wherein distal ends of the wires are respectively wound around the electromagnetic elements.

14. The medical system of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic elements attract each other when energized to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft.

15. The medical system of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic elements repel each other when energized to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft.

16. The medical system of claim 11, wherein portions of the electromagnetic rings attract each other and other portions of the electromagnetic rings repel each other to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft.

17. The medical system of claim 9, further comprising a user interface configured for conveying commands to the controller, wherein the controller is configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements via the wires to actuate a controlled bending of the elongated shaft in response to the commands.

18. The medical system of claim 17, wherein the controlled bending of the elongated shaft corresponds to movements at the user interface.

19. A medical system, comprising:

an elongated shaft;

a plurality of magnetic elements spaced along the elongated shaft; and

an electrical controller configured to actuate a controlled bending of the elongated shaft in accordance with an electrical current output from the electrical controller.

20. The medical system of claim 19, wherein the medical probe is an intravascular catheter.

21. The medical system of claim 19, wherein the magnetic elements are magnetic rings.

22. The medical system of claim 19, further comprising a lumen within the elongated shaft, wherein the magnetic elements are spaced within the lumen.

23. The medical system of claim 19, further comprising a user interface configured for conveying commands to the controller, wherein the controller is configured for outputting the electrical current to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft in response to the commands.

24. The medical system of claim 23, wherein the controlled bending of the elongated shaft corresponds to movements at the user interface.