Robot for minimally invasive interventions
First Claim
1. A method of using a robot in a living body, the method comprising:
- inserting the robot into a pericardial space;
attaching the robot to an epicardial surface of a pumping heart within the living body with at least one of a first suction device and a second suction device and actuating movement of the robot across a distance on the epicardial surface of the heart from a first position to a second position with a control system, the control system operable to actuate the first suction device and the second suction device in combination with control wires to translate and steer the robot in a selected direction from a plurality of selectable directions along the epicardial surface of the heart.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Rather than trying to immobilize a living, moving organ to place the organ in the fixed frame of reference of a table-mounted robotic device, the present disclosure teaches mounting a robot in the moving frame of reference of the organ. That task can be accomplished with a wide variety of robots including a miniature crawling robotic device designed to be introduced, in the case of the heart, into the pericardium through a port, attach itself to the epicardial surface, and then, under the direct control of the surgeon, travel to the desired location for treatment. The problem of beating-heart motion is largely avoided by attaching the device directly to the epicardium. The problem of access is resolved by incorporating the capability for locomotion. The device and technique can be used on other organs and on other living bodies such as pets, farm animals, etc. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used in construing the claims.
43 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of using a robot in a living body, the method comprising:
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inserting the robot into a pericardial space; attaching the robot to an epicardial surface of a pumping heart within the living body with at least one of a first suction device and a second suction device and actuating movement of the robot across a distance on the epicardial surface of the heart from a first position to a second position with a control system, the control system operable to actuate the first suction device and the second suction device in combination with control wires to translate and steer the robot in a selected direction from a plurality of selectable directions along the epicardial surface of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for moving a device along a surface of a beating heart comprising:
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endoscopically inserting a device into a living body; attaching the device to an epicardial surface of a beating heart within the living body with at least one of a plurality of suction devices; actuating movement of the device across the surface of the beating heart from a first position to a second position with a control system, the control system operable to actuate the suction devices in combination with control wires to steer the device in one of a plurality of selectable directions along the epicardial surface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification