Articulated surgical probe and method for use
First Claim
1. A surgical probe allowing a surgeon to manipulate tissue while maintaining a kinesthetic relationship between the surgeon'"'"'s finger during a surgical procedure, said probe comprising:
- an articulated digit located at a distal end of a positioning shaft having a longitudinal axis and a handle, where said articulated digit is configured to move between a continuous range of positions from an extended position to a substantially curved position such that movement of the articulated digit is similar to movement of a human finger; and
an actuator coupled to said handle by a pivot and extending upright relative to said longitudinal axis such that the actuator is moveable between a distal position and a proximal position along said longitudinal axis; and
where said actuator is operatively connected to said articulated digit by a plurality of link members where a proximal end of said link members are affixed to said actuator so as to move said articulated digit between said continuous range of positions, where said distal position corresponds to said extended position of said articulated digit and where said proximal position corresponds to said substantially curved position of said articulated digit where movement of said articulated digit mimics movement of the surgeon'"'"'s finger and movement of said actuator to said proximal position causes a first link member to be placed in tension while a second link member is released from tension such that the surgeon maintains the kinesthetic relationship via said actuator from the link member in tension.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical probe includes an articulated digit located at a distal end of a positioning shaft having a longitudinal axis. An actuator is located at a proximal end of the positioning shaft that is operatively connected to the articulated digit so as to move it between a continuous range of positions from an extended position to a substantially curved position while maintaining a kinesthetic relationship between a surgeon'"'"'s finger engaging the actuator and the articulated digit. Preferably, the surgeons finger position and shape directly correspond to the position and shape of the articulated digit. A method is provided for probing, dissecting, and retracting anatomical structures.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A surgical probe allowing a surgeon to manipulate tissue while maintaining a kinesthetic relationship between the surgeon'"'"'s finger during a surgical procedure, said probe comprising:
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an articulated digit located at a distal end of a positioning shaft having a longitudinal axis and a handle, where said articulated digit is configured to move between a continuous range of positions from an extended position to a substantially curved position such that movement of the articulated digit is similar to movement of a human finger; and an actuator coupled to said handle by a pivot and extending upright relative to said longitudinal axis such that the actuator is moveable between a distal position and a proximal position along said longitudinal axis; and where said actuator is operatively connected to said articulated digit by a plurality of link members where a proximal end of said link members are affixed to said actuator so as to move said articulated digit between said continuous range of positions, where said distal position corresponds to said extended position of said articulated digit and where said proximal position corresponds to said substantially curved position of said articulated digit where movement of said articulated digit mimics movement of the surgeon'"'"'s finger and movement of said actuator to said proximal position causes a first link member to be placed in tension while a second link member is released from tension such that the surgeon maintains the kinesthetic relationship via said actuator from the link member in tension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A surgical probe allowing a surgeon to manipulate tissue while maintaining a direct kinesthetic relationship between the surgeon'"'"'s finger during a surgical procedure, said probe comprising:
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an articulated digit located at a distal end of a positioning shaft having a longitudinal axis; a handle having a first portion located in alignment with said longitudinal axis at a proximal end of the positioning shaft; an actuator extending from a surface of said first portion of said handle and being pivotally moveable between a distal and proximal positions such that the actuator is limited to pivot in alignment with both said articulated digit and said positioning shaft and where said actuator is operatively connected to said articulated digit; and where said actuator is operatively connected to said articulated digit by a plurality of link members where a proximal end of said link members are affixed to said actuator and where movement of said actuator to said proximal position causes a first link member to be placed in tension while a second link member is released from tension such that the link member in tension provides direct force feedback to said actuator from said articulated digit allowing the direct kinesthetic relationship between the surgeon'"'"'s finger and said articulated digit as it operates said actuator.
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27. A surgical probe allowing a surgeon to manipulate tissue while maintaining a direct force feedback between the surgeon'"'"'s finger during a surgical procedure, said probe comprising:
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an articulated digit located at a distal end of a positioning shaft having a longitudinal axis; a handle having a first portion located at a proximal end of the positioning shaft in alignment with said axis; an actuator extending from said first portion of said handle and coupled to said handle by a pivot to allow the surgeon to grasp said handle while extending the finger parallel to said handle and in alignment with said longitudinal axis to engage the actuator; and where said actuator is operatively connected to said articulated digit by at least a plurality of link members where a proximal end of said link members are affixed to said actuator that provide direct force feedback to said actuator from said articulated digit as said actuator moves between said distal and proximal positions where movement of said actuator to said proximal position causes a first link member to be placed in tension while a second link member is released from tension such that the surgeon maintains the direct force feeback via said actuator from the link member in tension so as to provide at least one of a kinesthetic and a tactile relationship between said articulated digit and the surgeon'"'"'s finger. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A surgical probe allowing a surgeon to manipulate tissue while maintaining a kinesthetic relationship between the surgeon'"'"'s finger during a surgical procedure, said probe, said probe comprising:
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an elongated member extending from a first section of a body portion, said first section being in alignment with said elongated member; a segmented digit located at a far end of said elongated member, said segmented digit having at least a tip portion and a middle portion where said tip and middle portion are pivotally connected such that said tip portion and middle portion may move between a straight profile and a curved profile, where in said curved profile said segmented digit curves in a manner similar to the surgeon'"'"'s finger; an operating actuator pivotally moveable between a proximal and distal positions and extending from first section of said body portion such that said operating actuator is limited to pivot in longitudinal alignment with both said segmented digit and said first section of said body portion, where said operating actuator is coupled to said segmented digit by at least one link member where a proximal end of said link member is affixed to said actuator, where said link member provides direct force feedback to said operating actuator from said articulated digit as said operating actuator moves between said distal and proximal positions to move said segmented digit between said straight profile and curved profile; and where proximal movement of said operating actuator by the surgeon'"'"'s finger to said proximal position causes said link member to be placed in tension such that the surgeon maintains the kinesthetic relationship via said actuator from the link member in tension. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification