Methods and apparatus for controlling surgical instruments using a port assembly

• US 10,420,583 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Johnson, Kristin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roy, Baisakhi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehl, Patrick M
• Application Number:
  US14/786,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20160089181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3132 for laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3423 Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands access sites for liquids A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00535 pneumatically or hydraulically operated A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3409 including needle or instrument drives
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/347 Locking means, e.g. for locking instrument in cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0267 comprising sensors or electrical contacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0279 for introducing medical instruments into the body, e.g. endoscope, surgical tools
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053

Abstract

A surgical port assembly for use with surgical instruments includes a body including an exterior surface and an interior space defined by an interior surface of the body. The surgical port assembly includes a control interface including a plurality of drive members coupled to the body and controllable to apply a force to a different portion of a shaft of an surgical instrument, when the shaft is disposed within the interior space, to move a distal portion of the surgical instrument to a desired position within a body cavity.

Claims

1. A surgical port assembly for use with surgical instruments, comprising:

a body including an exterior surface and an interior space defined by an interior surface of the body, the body defining a longitudinal axis; and

a control interface including a plurality of drive members coupled to the body, at least one drive member including an arm and an engagement member supported on the arm, the engagement member positionable at an angle relative to the arm and the longitudinal axis of the body, the engagement member positioned to move linearly in a direction that extends across the longitudinal axis of the body to apply a linear force to a first portion of a shaft of a surgical instrument, when the shaft is disposed within the interior space, and to selectively tilt the surgical instrument away from the longitudinal axis to move a distal portion of the surgical instrument to a desired position within a body cavity.

2. The surgical port assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one drive member is configured to apply the linear force to the surgical instrument in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body.

3. The surgical port assembly of claim 1, further comprising an interface member coupled to the plurality of drive members, the interface member configured to interface with the surgical instrument to form a seal between the surgical port assembly and the surgical instrument.

4. The surgical port assembly of claim 1, wherein the control interface further includes a plurality of drivers, at least one of the plurality of drivers including an electric motor coupled to the body, wherein at least one of the plurality of drive members is operatively coupled to the electric motor, the electric motor configured to drive the at least one drive member to apply force to the surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is placed in the surgical port assembly.

5. The surgical port assembly of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of drivers includes a pressurized fluid chamber, at least one of the plurality of drive members operatively coupled to the pressurized fluid chamber, the pressurized fluid chamber configured to drive the drive member to apply force to the surgical instrument when the surgical instrument is placed in the surgical port assembly.

6. The surgical port assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of drive members include at least two first drive members coupled to a first side of the body along the longitudinal axis of the surgical port assembly, and at least two second drive members coupled to a second side of the body along the longitudinal axis of the surgical port assembly, the at least two first drive members and the at least two second drive members forming a set of drive members, the set of drive members configured to operate in coordination to change the position of the distal portion of the surgical instrument.

7. The surgical port assembly of claim 6, further comprising a second set of drive members configured to operate in coordination to change the position of the distal portion of the surgical instrument in a direction different from the direction in which the first set of drive members changes the position of the distal portion of the surgical instrument.

8. The surgical port assembly of claim 1, further comprising a holding member coupled to the body, the holding member configured to maintain a portion of the surgical instrument in a fixed position with respect to the body, the holding member allowing the distal portion of the surgical instrument to move in all directions.

9. A surgical port system including the surgical port assembly of claim 1, the surgical port system further including a surgical instrument, wherein the surgical instrument includes an endoscopic camera.

10. The surgical port system of claim 9, wherein the control interface of the surgical port assembly further includes at least one driver coupled to at least a first one of the plurality of drive members.

11. The surgical port system of claim 10, wherein the first one of the plurality of drive members includes a roller member, and wherein the at least one driver includes a rotary motor mechanically coupled to the roller member, the roller member configured to interface with the surgical instrument and to translate the endoscopic camera along a longitudinal axis of the surgical instrument.

12. A method of controlling a surgical instrument using a surgical port assembly, the method comprising:

sensing a position of a distal portion of the surgical instrument relative to a body of the surgical port assembly, the body defining a longitudinal axis;

determining whether a button disposed on the surgical instrument is activated;

linearly actuating an engagement member of at least one drive member supported by the body of the surgical port assembly; and

positioning the engagement member at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the body to selectively tilt the surgical instrument away from the longitudinal axis of the body to move the distal portion of the surgical instrument to a position that is aligned with a sensed position of the distal portion of the surgical instrument when it is determined that the button is activated.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein sensing the position of the distal portion of the surgical instrument includes sensing a signal transmitted from a transmitter disposed on the distal portion of the surgical instrument.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising moving the distal portion of the surgical instrument to another position based on the signal transmitted from the transmitter.