Medical apparatus system having optical fiber load sensing capability
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for diagnosis or treatment of a vessel or an organ of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
- a deformable body defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal extremity, the deformable body being flexible in directions lateral to the longitudinal axis and adapted to be introduced through the vasculature system of the patient with the distal extremity positionable proximate the vessel or the organ while a portion of the deformable body proximal the distal extremity is within the vasculature system, wherein the distal extremity includes a free end configured to deform in response to contact with the vessel or organ;
at least two optical fiber sensors affixed within the distal extremity, each of the optical fiber sensors extending from the distal extremity to a proximal end of the deformable body; and
processing logic operatively coupled to receive an output of the optical fiber sensors, the processing logic programmed to compute a dynamic multi-dimensional force vector corresponding to a contact force in response to contact between the distal extremity and a tissue wall of the organ or vessel, wherein the contact force results from multi-dimensional interaction of the distal extremity with the tissue wall in response to at least one of a movement of the tissue wall and a manipulating force applied at the proximal end of the deformable body, wherein the multi-dimensional force vector includes an axial force component along said longitudinal axis.
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Abstract
Apparatus is provided for diagnosing or treating an organ or vessel, wherein a deformable body having at least two optical fiber sensors disposed in a distal extremity thereof is coupled to processing logic programmed to compute a multi-dimensional force vector responsive to detected changes in the optical characteristics of the optical fiber sensors arising from deflection of the distal extremity resulting from contact with the tissue of the wall of the organ or vessel. The force vector may be used to facilitate manipulation of the deformable body either directly or automatically using a robotic system.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. Apparatus for diagnosis or treatment of a vessel or an organ of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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a deformable body defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal extremity, the deformable body being flexible in directions lateral to the longitudinal axis and adapted to be introduced through the vasculature system of the patient with the distal extremity positionable proximate the vessel or the organ while a portion of the deformable body proximal the distal extremity is within the vasculature system, wherein the distal extremity includes a free end configured to deform in response to contact with the vessel or organ; at least two optical fiber sensors affixed within the distal extremity, each of the optical fiber sensors extending from the distal extremity to a proximal end of the deformable body; and processing logic operatively coupled to receive an output of the optical fiber sensors, the processing logic programmed to compute a dynamic multi-dimensional force vector corresponding to a contact force in response to contact between the distal extremity and a tissue wall of the organ or vessel, wherein the contact force results from multi-dimensional interaction of the distal extremity with the tissue wall in response to at least one of a movement of the tissue wall and a manipulating force applied at the proximal end of the deformable body, wherein the multi-dimensional force vector includes an axial force component along said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. Apparatus for diagnosis or treatment of a vessel or an organ of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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a flexible elongated body defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal ends and a distal extremity, the flexible body being flexible in directions lateral to the longitudinal axis and adapted to be introduced through the vasculature system of the patient with the distal extremity positionable proximate the vessel or the organ while a portion of the flexible body proximal the distal extremity is within the vasculature system, the distal extremity comprising a deformable material and having a free end configured to deform in response to contact with the vessel or organ; three optical fibers extending through the flexible elongated body and affixed within the distal extremity so that the optical fibers are not co-planar; an optical strain sensor disposed within the distal extremity and coupled to at least one of the three optical fibers; and a storage device associated with the flexible elongated body, the storage device containing a force-strain conversion matrix that enables dynamic computation of a three-dimensional force vector corresponding to a contact force in response to contact between the distal extremity and a tissue wall of the organ or vessel, wherein the contact force results from a multi-dimensional interaction of the distal extremity with the tissue wall in response to at least one of a movement of the tissue wall and a manipulating force applied at the proximal end of the deformable body, wherein the three-dimensional force vector includes an axial force component along said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification