Steerable endoscope and improved method of insertion
First Claim
1. A method of controlling an instrument, comprising:
- storing in electronic memory a three-dimensional model representing a path traversed by the instrument in a patient'"'"'s anatomy, wherein the three-dimensional model is based on signals obtained from maneuvering a length of the instrument into a desired shape along the path; and
controlling, by a motion controller, the instrument to maneuver the instrument through the patient'"'"'s anatomy based on the stored three-dimensional model.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A steerable endoscope has an elongated body with a selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled proximal portion. The endoscope body is inserted into a patient and the selectively steerable distal portion is used to select a desired path within the patient'"'"'s body. When the endoscope body is advanced, an electronic motion controller operates the automatically controlled proximal portion to assume the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion. Another desired path is selected with the selectively steerable distal portion and the endoscope body is advanced again. As the endoscope body is further advanced, the selected curves propagate proximally along the endoscope body, and when the endoscope body is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves propagate distally along the endoscope body. This creates a serpentine motion in the endoscope body that allows it to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through, around, and between organs within the body.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of controlling an instrument, comprising:
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storing in electronic memory a three-dimensional model representing a path traversed by the instrument in a patient'"'"'s anatomy, wherein the three-dimensional model is based on signals obtained from maneuvering a length of the instrument into a desired shape along the path; and controlling, by a motion controller, the instrument to maneuver the instrument through the patient'"'"'s anatomy based on the stored three-dimensional model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for creating a three-dimensional model representing a path within an anatomical space, comprising:
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an instrument adapted for maneuvering along the path through the anatomical space; an electronic motion controller adapted to control the instrument, to receive a signal indicative of a shape of a length of the instrument along the path, and to create a three-dimensional model of the path based on the received signal; a transducer adapted to produce and send to the motion controller a signal indicative of a position of the instrument; and electronic memory adapted to store the three-dimensional model of the path; wherein the electronic motion controller is adapted to control the instrument to maneuver the instrument along the path through the anatomical space based on the three-dimensional model. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification