Robotic catheter system and methods

• US 8,108,069 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Stahler, Gregory J., Moll, Frederic H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PECHE, JORGE O
• Application Number:
  US11/972,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/83, 700/246, 700/248, 700/249, 700/262, 600/1, 600/109, 600/407
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12122 within the heart for closing a cardiac septal defect A61B17/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12172 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00247 Making holes in the wall of the heart, e.g. laser Myocardial revascularization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00632 Occluding a cavity, i.e. closing a blind opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00392 Transmyocardial revascularisation
• 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0105 Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning systems for detection of markers A61B

Abstract

A robotic instrument system and method, comprising at least two instrument drive assemblies each detachably coupled to a respective instrument assembly. Each instrument assembly comprising an elongate, flexible guide instrument configured to be inserted into a patient'"'"'s body. The instrument drive assemblies comprise one or more motors configure to operate a respective instrument assembly. One or more controllers are operatively coupled to the instrument drive assemblies. The method comprises maneuvering a distal end of each of the respective guide instruments into a patient'"'"'s heart by actuating the respective drive assembly performing a procedure controlled by the one or more controllers.

Claims

1. A robotic instrument system, comprising:

one or more controllers;

a first support structure;

a first instrument drive assembly operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more controllers, and detachably coupled to said first support structure, said first instrument drive assembly comprising one or more motors configured to operate a first instrument assembly;

a first instrument assembly detachably coupled to said first instrument drive assembly, said first instrument assembly comprising a first elongate, flexible guide instrument configured to be steered within a lumen of a patient'"'"'s body;

a second support structure;

a second instrument drive assembly operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more controllers, and detachably coupled to said second support structure, said second instrument drive assembly comprising one or more motors configured to operate a second instrument assembly; and

a second instrument assembly detachably coupled to said second instrument drive assembly, said second instrument assembly comprising a second elongate, flexible guide instrument configured to be steered within a lumen of the patient'"'"'s body,

wherein the one or more controllers are configured to selectively actuate respective motors in the first and second instrument drive assemblies to thereby selectively move respective distal end portions of the respective first and second elongate, flexible guide instruments in response to control signals generated, at least in part, by one or more input devices coupled to the one or more controllers, and

wherein said first instrument assembly further comprises a first elongate sheath instrument, and said second instrument assembly further comprises a second elongate sheath instrument, the first and second elongate, flexible guide instruments being carried in a coaxial configuration in the respective first and second elongate sheath instruments, and said first and second instrument drive assemblies comprise respective drive elements configured to independently operate the respective first and second elongate sheath instruments and first and second elongate, flexible guide instruments, wherein each of the first and second elongate, flexible guide instruments is configured to move relative to each of the first and second elongate sheath instruments, respectively.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers comprise a single controller operatively coupled to the first and second instrument drive assemblies.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers comprise a first controller operatively coupled to the first instrument drive assembly, and second controller in communication with the first controller and operatively coupled to the second instrument drive assembly.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first support structure and said second support structure are configured to be respectively coupled to opposing sides of an operating table.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first support structure and said second support structure are configured to be respectively coupled to a same side of an operating table.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second support structures comprise respective articulating arms.

7. A method for performing a minimally invasive intracardiac surgical procedure on a patient'"'"'s heart, the method comprising:

providing a robotic instrument system comprising;

one or more controllers;

a first instrument drive assembly operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more controllers and comprising one or more motors configured to operate a first instrument assembly;

a first instrument assembly detachably coupled to said first instrument drive assembly, said first instrument assembly comprising a first elongate, flexible guide instrument configured to be inserted into a patient'"'"'s body, the first elongate, flexible guide instrument having a distal end;

a second instrument drive assembly operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more controllers and comprising one or more motors configured to operate a second instrument assembly; and

a second instrument assembly detachably coupled to said second instrument drive assembly, said second instrument assembly comprising a second elongate, flexible guide instrument configured to be inserted into a patient'"'"'s body, the second elongate, flexible guide instrument having a distal end;

maneuvering said distal end of said first elongate, flexible guide instrument into the patient'"'"'s heart by actuating said first instrument drive assembly; and

maneuvering said distal end of said second elongate, flexible guide instrument into the patient'"'"'s heart by actuating said second instrument drive assembly.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said distal end of said first elongate, flexible guide instrument is maneuvered into the patient'"'"'s heart through the inferior vena cava and into the right atrium, and said distal end of said second elongate, flexible guide instrument is maneuvered into the patient'"'"'s heart through the inferior vena cava and into the right atrium.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said distal end of said first elongate, flexible guide instrument is maneuvered into the patient'"'"'s heart through the inferior vena cava and into the right atrium, and said distal end of said second elongate, flexible guide instrument is maneuvered into the patient'"'"'s heart through the superior vena cava and into the right atrium.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein an imaging transducer is provided on said distal end of said first elongate, flexible guide instrument and a cutting instrument is provided on said distal end of said second elongate, flexible guide instrument.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of performing a patent foramen ovale (PFO) procedure using said first and second elongate, flexible guide instruments.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of ablating intracardiac heart tissue.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of treating a left atrial appendage using said first and second elongate, flexible guide instruments.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of performing a transseptal mitral annulus tuning procedure using said first and second elongate, flexible guide instruments.