Systems and methods for medical instrument compression compensation

• US 10,426,559 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Graetzel, Chauncey F., Park, June Gyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Newton, Alexandra L
• Application Number:
  US15/640,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20190000566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 606 27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00149 using articulated arms
• 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 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00327 with actuating members moving in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• 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 2034/715 Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/067 for measuring angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• 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 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for compensating for compression in elongated shafts of medical instruments. Medical instruments can include elongated shafts that may experience compression when articulated. The medical instruments can be attached to instrument positioning devices that are configured to move the medical instruments to compensate for this compression. For example, an instrument positioning device can advance a medical instrument to compensate for compression in an elongated shaft of the medical instrument. In some instances, the amount of compression is determined using a compression compensation parameter. The compression compensation parameter can be determined during a calibration process of the medical instrument.

Claims

1. A robotic system, comprising:

a first medical instrument configured for insertion, in use, into a lumen of a patient, the first instrument comprising;

a first elongated shaft, a first pull wire actuable to cause pull wire-based movement of the first elongated shaft, and a first instrument base including a first drive input for actuating the first pull wire;

a first instrument positioning device attached to the first instrument base and configured to move to advance or retract the first instrument through the lumen of the patient;

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions; and

at least one processor in communication with the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least;

determine an axial compression of the first elongated shaft;

determine a distance to move the first instrument positioning device to compensate for the determined axial compression of the first elongated shaft; and

move the first instrument positioning device to either advance or retract the first elongated shaft of the first instrument through the lumen of the patient by the determined distance.

2. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the first medical instrument includes a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a compression compensation parameter that relates movement of the elongated shaft to axial compression of the elongated shaft, wherein movement of the elongated shaft comprises articulation of the elongated shaft, and wherein the compression compensation parameter relates an angle of articulation of the elongated shaft to an axial length of compression of the elongated shaft.

3. The robotic system of claim 2, wherein the angle of articulation comprises a commanded angle of articulation.

4. The robotic system of claim 2, wherein the angle of articulation comprises a measured angle of articulation.

5. The robotic system of claim 4, further comprising at least one electromagnetic (EM) sensor positioned on the elongated shaft, wherein the measured angle of articulation is determined based on a signal from the EM sensor.

6. The robotic system of claim 4, further comprising a shape-sensing fiber on the elongated shaft, and wherein the measured angle of articulation is determined based on the shape-sensing fiber.

7. The robotic system of claim 2, wherein the compression compensation parameter relates a tension in the pull wire, as measured by a tension sensor, to an axial length of compression of the elongated shaft.

8. The robotic system of claim 2, wherein the compression compensation parameter relates a pull wire displacement to an axial length of compression of the elongated shaft.

9. The robotic system of claim 2, wherein the compression compensation parameter is determined during a calibration process of the medical instrument.

10. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to determine the axial compression of the first elongated shaft using a compression compensation parameter that relates pull wire-based movement of the first elongated shaft to axial compression of the first elongated shaft.

11. The robotic system of claim 10, further comprising:

an RFID tag on the first medical instrument, the RFID tag storing the compression compensation parameter; and

an RFID reader connected to the at least one processor.

12. The robotic system of claim 11, wherein the RFID tag is positioned on the first instrument base, and wherein the RFID reader is positioned on the first instrument positioning device.

13. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the first medical instrument comprises an endoscope.

14. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the first medical instrument comprises a sheath.

15. The robotic system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second medical instrument configured for insertion through a working channel of the first instrument into the lumen of the patient, the second instrument comprising;

a second elongated shaft, a second pull wire actuable to articulate the second elongated shaft, and a second instrument base including a second drive input for actuating the second pull wire;

a second instrument positioning device attached to the second instrument and configured to move to advance or retract the second instrument through the working channel of the first instrument, and

wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to;

move the second instrument positioning device to either advance or retract the second elongated shaft of the second medical instrument through the working channel of the first instrument.

16. The robotic system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to:

determine an axial compression of the second elongated shaft; and

move the second instrument positioning device to either advance or retract the second elongated shaft of the second medical instrument through the working channel of the first medical instrument to compensate for the determined axial compression of the second elongated shaft.

17. The robotic system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to move the second instrument positioning device to either advance or retract the second elongated shaft of the second instrument through the working channel of the first medical instrument to compensate for the determined axial compression of the first elongated shaft.

18. A robotic system, comprising:

a first medical instrument configured for insertion, in use, into a lumen of a patient, the first instrument comprising;

a first elongated shaft, a first pull wire actuable to cause pull wire-based movement of the first elongated shaft, and a first instrument base including a first drive input for actuating the first pull wire;

a first instrument positioning device attached to the first instrument base and configured to move to advance or retract the first instrument through the lumen of the patient;

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions; and

at least one processor in communication with the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least;

receive a commanded pull-wire based movement to articulate the first elongated shaft;

determine an axial compression of the first elongated shaft expected to be caused by the commanded pull-wire based movement using a compression compensation parameter that relates pull-wire based movement to axial compression, wherein the compression compensation value is stored in a memory;

determine a distance to move the first instrument positioning device to compensate for the determined axial compression of the first elongated shaft; and

execute the commanded pull-wire based movement while moving the first instrument positioning device to either advance or retract the first elongated shaft of the first instrument by the determined distance through the lumen of the patient.