Preventing instrument/tissue collisions

• US 9,345,387 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Larkin, David Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): TURCHEN, ROCHELLE DEANNA
• Application Number:
  US11/762,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,268 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/423, 600/427, 600433-435, 600/437, 600/439, 600/462, 600/471
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00149 using articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/002 having rod-lens arrangements A61B1/055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/06 with illuminating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00225 Systems for controlling multiple different instruments, e.g. microsurgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00314 Separate linked members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00318 Steering mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0034 adapted to be inserted through a working channel of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 : Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3447 : Linked multiple cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2061 : using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings
• 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 2034/305 : Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/306 : Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 : penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 : Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/32 : operating autonomously
• 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 34/71 : Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 : Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 : using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 : in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 : for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

Collisions between a minimally invasive surgical instrument and patient tissue are prevented in various ways. In one aspect a body cavity is mapped by recording positions of a surgical instrument, and the map is used to insert another surgical instrument. In another aspect, a surgical instrument is inserted into a space vacated by a guide tube. In yet another aspect, a volume is defined in which a control system permits an instrument to move, and the volume is a sum of one volume that is defined by previous movements of the instrument and other volume that is defined by the boundaries of an image capture component. In yet another aspect, a real time image of a surgical site is mosaiced over a previously recorded more distal image of the site. Surgical instruments are visible in the real time image, and representations of the surgical instruments as they would appear in the previously recorded image are generated and displayed on the previously recorded image. Consequently, a person moving the surgical instruments sees a representation of the instruments outside the field of view of an imaging system taking the real time images.

Claims

1. A minimally invasive surgical system comprising:

a first surgical device comprising a distal end;

an actuator control system coupled to the first surgical device to move the distal end to a plurality of positions within a body cavity as the first surgical device is advanced within the body cavity;

a memory coupled to the actuator control system,

wherein the actuator control system stores, in the memory, data that defines the plurality of positions; and

a second surgical device coupled to the actuator control system,

wherein the actuator control system advances the second surgical device by using the stored data that defines the plurality of positions.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a position sensor associated with the first surgical device;

wherein the position sensor determines the plurality of positions of the distal end of the first surgical device.

3. The system of claim 2:

wherein the position sensor comprises a bend sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor positioned outside the patient;

wherein the sensor senses the plurality of positions of the distal end of the first surgical device.

9. The minimally invasive surgical system of claim 1:

the first surgical device comprising a first guide tube having at least one port proximal to the distal end;

the second surgical device comprising a second guide tube extending from the port; and

a third surgical device extending from the second guide tube.

5. A method of advancing a minimally invasive surgical device, comprising:

storing data by an actuator control system in a memory, wherein the data defines a plurality of positions of a part of a first surgical device within a body cavity as the first surgical device is advanced within the body cavity; and

advancing a second surgical device within the body cavity by the actuator control system using the stored data that defines the plurality of positions.

6. The method of claim 5:

wherein the plurality of positions of the part of the first surgical device is determined from a position sensor associated with the first surgical device.

7. The system of claim 6:

wherein the position sensor comprises a bend sensor.

8. The method of claim 5:

wherein the plurality of positions of the part of the first surgical instrument is determined from information sensed by a sensor positioned outside of a patient.