Automated vessel repair system, devices and methods

• US 9,049,988 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Harrison Zurn
• Original Assignee: William Harrison Zurn
• Inventors: Zurn, William Harrison
• Primary Examiner(s): Brutus, Joel F
• Application Number:
  US12/912,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20110040177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600409-410, 600/427, 324/306, 324/308
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/392 Radioactive markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4812 MR combined with X-ray or computed tomography [CT]

Abstract

Systems, devices and automated methods for minimally invasive surgery. A device is fabricated of bio-compatible semiconductor elements, and can be assembled, delivered, navigated and implanted by automated methods, using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology.

Claims

1. A method of implanting a device in a vessel or duct of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning the patient to provide a map of a target surgical location of a defect in the vessel or duct;

programming coordinates of the target surgical location relative to the map in a computer controller;

inserting the device through a small opening in the patient, so that no portion of the device extends out of the patient and the device is not connected to anything that extends out of the patient;

wherein the device comprises a plurality of semiconductor cells held in assembly primarily by magnetic attraction forces;

moving and guiding the device through an anatomy of the patient to the target surgical location, wherein guiding is performed by registering a device mover with the map to facilitate navigation of the device through the anatomy and to the target surgical location; and

fixing the device to the target surgical location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said moving and guiding are performed by a nuclear magnetic resonance machine, controlled by the computer controller and registered to the map to provide magnetic fields to move the device through the anatomy according to coordinates referenced to the map.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said scanning is performed by a CAT scanner.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said fixing comprises fusing at least a portion of the device to a tissue of the vessel or duct wall.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising assembling the device from a plurality of cells, wherein said plurality of cells are guided, by a nuclear resonance machine, into position for assembly.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of cells are assembled by polarizing portions thereof to attract to one another.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the device is assembled to have a size determined to cover the defect, as determined by the coordinates of a location of a defect dimension.

8. A minimally invasive method of implanting a device in a patient, said minimally invasive method comprising the steps of:

scanning the patient to provide a map of a target surgical location in the patient;

programming coordinates of the target surgical location relative to the map in a computer controller;

inserting the device through a small opening in the patient, so that no portion of the device extends out of the patient;

wherein the device comprises a plurality of semiconductor cells held in assembly primarily by magnetic attraction forces;

moving and guiding the device through an anatomy of the patient to the target surgical location, wherein guiding is performed by registering a device mover with the map to facilitate navigation of the device through the anatomy and to the target surgical location; and

fixing the device to the target surgical location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said moving and guiding are performed by a nuclear magnetic resonance machine, controlled by the computer controller and registered to the map to provide magnetic fields to move the device through the anatomy according to coordinates referenced to the map.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising assembling the device from a plurality of cells.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of cells are assembled by polarizing portions thereof to attract to one another.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the device is assembled to have a size determined to cover a surgical target area at the surgical target location, as determined by coordinates of the surgical target area inputted to the computer controller.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of devices are implanted, and at least two of said plurality of devices are implanted either serially or in parallel.