Robotic catheter system and methods

• US 8,498,691 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Moll, Frederic H., Carlson, Christopher R., Barbagli, Federico, Wallace, Daniel T., Lundmark, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Unsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAURITZEN, AMANDA L
• Application Number:
  US11/640,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,420 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/424, 600/425, 600/114, 600/117, 600/118, 600/173, 606/130, 700/245, 715/702
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0643 with separate closing member, e.g. for interlocking with staple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• 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 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 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• 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: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/15 Mayo stands; Tables

Abstract

A robotically controlled guide instrument system, comprising an elongate flexible guide instrument; a drive assembly coupled to a proximal portion of the guide instrument and configured to maneuver a distal portion of the guide instrument; a master controller including a user interface that may be manipulated to actuate the drive assembly and thereby maneuver the distal portion the guide instrument; and a closure device detachably coupled to a delivery member carried by the guide instrument, the guide instrument maneuverable to position the closure device proximate an opening of a left atrial appendage of a person'"'"'s heart such that the prosthesis may be detached from the delivery member and implanted to substantially close off the left atrial appendage.

Claims

1. A robotic instrument system, comprising:

an elongate instrument;

a controller configured to selectively actuate one or more motors operatively coupled to the instrument to thereby selectively move a distal end portion of the instrument,

wherein the controller is further configured to determine a reach of the instrument distal end portion within an anatomical workspace in which the instrument is located, based at least in part upon a present relative position of the instrument distal end portion,

wherein the controller is further configured to determine, based on the determined reach, a plurality of location zones and a reachability of each of the location zones,

wherein the reachability of each of the location zones is displayed in a manner that indicates which areas of the workspace may be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument, and which areas cannot be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument; and

a display in communication with the controller, wherein the controller causes the plurality of location zones and the reachability of each of the location zones to be indicated on the display,

wherein the plurality of location zones include a first location zone highlighted on the display to indicate that the first location zone can be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument by normal maneuvering, a second location zone highlighted on the display to indicate the second location zone may possibly be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument by using additional or special maneuvering, and a third location zone highlighted on the display to indicate that the third location zone cannot be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the reach of the instrument distal end portion further based at least in part on a kinematic model of the instrument.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reachability of each of the location zones is displayed as a “

yes”

or “

no”

, or as a numeric or other scaled gradation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein in determining the reach of the instrument distal end portion, the controller determines and causes to be displayed a relative instrument performance in reaching respective locations and positions in the workspace.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein in determining the reach of the instrument distal end portion, the controller takes into account one or more of locations of sensitive tissue structures in the workspace to be avoided, locations of target tissue structures in the workspace to be reached, planned trajectories of the instrument distal end portion, and planned end points of the instrument distal end portion.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller displays the determined reach of the instrument distal end portion overlaying an image of the anatomic workspace.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the image of the anatomic workspace is obtained from a model of the workspace, from an imaging system, or both.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the displayed reach of the instrument distal end portion includes an image of the instrument distal end portion obtained from a model of the instrument, from an imaging system, or both.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the reach of the instrument distal end portion further based at least in part on a likelihood that some portion of the instrument will get hung up into tissue or some other structure in an attempted move from its present position to other potential locations and positions in the anatomical workspace.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the portion of the instrument is proximal to its distal tip, and wherein the controller analyzes the instrument as a series of segments, with collision detection algorithms being run for each discrete segment of the instrument.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the individual instrument segments are displayed with assigned colors representing their respective impending collision status with nearby structures.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein if a collision is required for the instrument distal end portion to reach a particular position or range of positions in the anatomical workspace when moved from its present position, the location of each such position is highlighted or otherwise designated on the display.

13. A robotic instrument system, comprising:

an elongate flexible instrument;

a display; and

a controller in communication with the display and configured to selectively actuate one or more motors operatively coupled to the instrument to thereby selectively move a distal end portion of the instrument,

wherein the controller is further configured to determine a reach of the instrument distal end portion within an anatomical workspace in which the instrument is located, based on a present relative position of the instrument distal end portion, a kinematic model of the instrument, and one or more of

a likelihood that some portion of the instrument will get hung up into tissue or some other structure in an attempted move from its present position to other potential locations and positions in the anatomical workspace,

a relative ease or difficulty in reaching respective locations and positions in the workspace,

a relative instrument performance in reaching respective locations and positions in the workspace, locations of sensitive tissue structures in the workspace to be avoided,

locations of target tissue structures in the workspace to be reached,

planned trajectories of the instrument distal end portion, and

planned end points of the instrument distal end portion,

wherein the controller is further configured to determine, based on the determined reach, a plurality of location zones and a reachability of each of the location zones,

wherein the controller causes the plurality of location zones and the reachability of each of the location zones to be indicated on the display, the reachability of each of the location zones being displayed in a manner that indicates which areas of the workspace may be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument, and which areas cannot be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument; and

wherein the plurality of location zones include a first location zone highlighted on the display to indicate that the first location zone can be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument by normal maneuvering, a second location zone highlighted on the display to indicate the second location zone may possibly be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument by using additional or special maneuvering, and a third location zone highlighted on the display to indicate that the third location zone cannot be reached by the instrument distal end portion from the present position of the instrument.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to display the determined reach of the instrument distal end portion on the display, overlaying an image of the anatomic workspace, wherein the image of the anatomic workspace is obtained from a model of the workspace, from an imaging system, or both.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the displayed reach of the instrument distal end portion includes an image of the instrument distal end portion obtained from a model of the instrument, from an imaging system, or both.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein if a collision is required for the instrument distal end portion to reach a particular position or range of positions in the anatomical workspace when moved from its present position, the location of each such position is highlighted or otherwise designated on the display.