Robotically controlled medical instrument

• US 7,854,738 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US12/024,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/205, 606/130, 606/167, 606/144, 606/101, 606/1, 606/206, 606/207, 600/114, 600/104, 600/429, 600/587, 600/407, 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 comprises an elongated shaft, a tool carried by the distal end of the elongated shaft for performing a medical procedure on a patient, a plurality of controllably bendable sections spaced along the elongated shaft and disposed proximal to the tool, a plurality of actuation elements extending within the elongated shaft for respectively actuating the controllably bendable sections, and an instrument coupler mounted to the proximal end of the elongated shaft, with the instrument coupler configured for coupling an electromechanical drive to the actuation elements. A robotic medical system comprises the previously described medical instrument assembly, a user interface configured for generating at least one command, a drive unit coupled to the plurality of actuating elements of the medical instrument assembly, and an electric controller configured, in response to the command(s), for directing the drive unit to moves the actuating elements to actuate the controllably bendable sections.

Claims

1. A medical instrument assembly, comprising:

an 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;

a plurality of controllably bendable sections spaced along the elongated shaft and disposed proximal to the tool;

a plurality of actuation elements extending within the elongated shaft for respectively actuating the controllably bendable sections; and

an instrument coupler mounted to the proximal end of the elongated shaft, the instrument coupler configured for coupling an electromechanical drive to the actuation elements,

wherein the instrument coupler carries a plurality of rotatable wheels to which the actuation elements are respectively mounted.

2. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the controllably bendable sections are flexible.

3. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising another plurality of actuation elements extending within the elongated shaft for respectively actuating the controllably bendable sections.

4. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuation elements respectively terminate in distal regions of the controllably bendable sections.

5. The medical instrument assembly of claim 4, further comprising transition segments located at the distal regions of the controllably bendable sections, wherein the actuation elements respectively terminate in the transition segments.

6. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising another actuation element extending within the elongated shaft for actuating the tool.

7. The medical instrument assembly of claim 6, further comprising means for decoupling motion at the controllably bendable sections from the tool actuation.

8. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the actuation elements includes a cable.

9. The medical instrument assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the actuation elements further includes a sleeve disposed about the cable to prevent compression of the respective cable.

10. The medical instrument assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the actuation elements includes a helical spring disposed about the respective sleeve.

11. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising an adapter coupler to which the instrument coupler is configured for being removably mated, the adapter coupler configured for coupling the electromechanical drive to the adapter coupler.

12. The medical instrument assembly of claim 11, further comprising cabling extending from the adapter coupler and configured for coupling the drive unit to the adapter coupler.

13. The medical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising a carriage on which the instrument coupler is mounted.

14. A robotic medical system, comprising:

the medical instrument assembly of claim 1;

a user interface configured for generating at least one command;

a drive unit coupled to the plurality of actuating elements of the medical instrument assembly; and

an electric controller configured, in response to the at least one command, for directing the drive unit to moves the actuating elements to actuate the controllably bendable sections.

15. The robotic medical system of claim 14, wherein the at least one command comprises movements made at the user interface, and the electric controller is configured for directing the drive unit to move the actuating elements to effect movements of the controllably bendable sections corresponding to the movements at the user interface.

16. The robotic medical system of claim 14, wherein the user interface is located remotely from the drive unit.

17. The robotic medical system of claim 14, wherein the electrical controller is coupled to the drive unit via external cabling.

18. The robotic medical system of claim 14, wherein the drive unit has a motor array.

19. The robotic medical system of claim 14, wherein the drive unit is coupled to the actuating elements via external cabling.