Robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge

• US 8,690,821 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Kirschenman, Mark B., Tegg, Troy T., Hauck, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flick, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matney, Brooke
• Application Number:
  US13/681,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20130123803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/95.05, 604/95.04, 604/264, 606/130, 606/41, 607/122, 600/145, 600/141, 318/568.11, 424/422
• US Class Current: 604/95.04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• 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 2090/372 Details of monitor hardware
• 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 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• 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 catheter rotatable device cartridge may include a housing member attachable to a drive mechanism for rotating the cartridge and a catheter attached to the cartridge along an axial direction of the catheter. A slider block may be generally slidable relative to the housing and engaged with one or more steering wires for controlling movement of the catheter in a transverse direction relative to the axial direction. The catheter may include the steering wire(s) engaged therewith and movable in the transverse direction when the slider block is linearly driven in a predetermined direction.

Claims

1. A rotatable device cartridge for a robotic catheter system, the cartridge comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis and configured for removable attachment to a drive head mechanism configured to rotate both the cartridge and a catheter coupled to the cartridge around the longitudinal axis;

a first slider block disposed along a first channel in the housing, wherein the first slider block is engaged with a first steering wire and is configured to move linearly parallel to the longitudinal axis to cause deflection of the catheter in a first direction; and

a second slider block disposed along a second channel in the housing, wherein the second slider block is engaged with a second steering wire and is configured to move linearly parallel to the longitudinal axis to cause deflection of the catheter in a second direction.

2. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising at least one magnetic mount in the housing configured for engagement with a complementary surface of the drive head mechanism for releasable locking of the cartridge with the drive head.

3. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising at least one recess in the housing configured for engagement with at least one complementary locking detent on the drive head mechanism for releasable locking of the cartridge with the drive head mechanism.

4. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second direction is generally opposite the first direction.

5. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the first slider block is linearly driveable to pull the first steering wire along a length of the first steering wire and wherein the second slider block is linearly drivable to pull the second steering wire along a length of the second steering wire.

6. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising integrated force sensors operatively connected to the housing for permitting active tensioning of the first steering wire and the second steering wire for controlling deflection of the catheter.

7. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising integrated force sensors operatively connected to the housing for limiting stress on the catheter by limiting movement of the cartridge.

8. A robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis and configured for removable attachment to a drive head configured to rotate the cartridge around the longitudinal axis;

a first element disposed along a first channel of the housing and generally linearly movable parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first element is engaged with a first steering wire and is configured to cause deflection of a surgically insertable device in a first direction; and

a second element disposed along a second channel and generally linearly movable parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the second element is engaged with a second steering wire and is configured to cause deflection of the surgically insertable device in a second direction.

9. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, further comprising at least one magnetic mount in the housing configured for engagement with a complementary surface on the drive head for releasable locking of the cartridge with the drive head.

10. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, wherein the second direction is generally opposite the first direction.

11. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, wherein the first element is linearly driveable to pull the first steering wire along a length of the first steering wire and wherein the second element is linearly drivable to pull the second steering wire along a length of the second steering wire.

12. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, wherein the first element is a slider block.

13. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8 wherein the housing comprises a first portion and a second portion.

14. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8 wherein the surgically insertable device is one of a catheter, a sheath, and a transseptal needle.

15. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, wherein the linear movability of the first element is configured to generally eliminate any backlash or discontinuities during driving of the surgically insertable device.

16. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, further comprising integrated force sensors operatively connected to the housing for permitting active tensioning of the first steering wire and the second steering wire for controlling deflection of the surgically insertable device.

17. The robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge according to claim 8, further comprising integrated force sensors operatively connected to the housing for limiting stress on the surgically insertable device by limiting movement of the cartridge.