Rotating needle driver and apparatuses and methods related thereto
First Claim
1. A medical instrument driver operably coupled to a medical instrument for causing the medical instrument to be inserted into tissue, said medical instrument driver comprising:
- a translation and rotational mechanism operably coupled to one portion of the medical instrument, the translation and rotational mechanism including;
pivoting structure being configured so as to cause the medical instrument to move along a long axis of the medical instrument responsive to rotational movement of an end of such structure, androtational structure configured so as to cause the medical instrument to rotate about the long axis as the medical instrument moves along the long axis; and
a distal support that is distal from the translation and rotational mechanism, which includes a through aperture in which a distal portion of the medical instrument is slidably disposed,wherein the distal support and the translation and rotational mechanism are arranged so the medical instrument distal portion moves through the distal support through aperture such that an insertable end of the medical instruments exits the through aperture and is inserted into the tissue, andwherein the rotational structure includes a drive motor and a plurality of gears arranged so as to operably couple the drive motor to the medical instrument, the plurality of gears including a first gear driven directly by the drive motor, a second gear having a circumference that surrounds the long axis of the medical instrument, and at least one intermediate gear configured to transfer rotation of the first gear to the second gear.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Featured is a medical instrument driver, a robotic apparatus embodying such a medical instrument driver and methods related thereto for inserting a medical instrument into tissue of a mammal (e.g., human). Such medical instruments include medical needles, biopsy needles, trocars, cutters and introducers. Such a medical instrument driver according to the present invention is configured and arranged so that medical instrument is rotated as it is being moved longitudinally for insertion into the tissue such that the medical instrument is spiraling as it pierces and traverses the tissue to the target area.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A medical instrument driver operably coupled to a medical instrument for causing the medical instrument to be inserted into tissue, said medical instrument driver comprising:
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a translation and rotational mechanism operably coupled to one portion of the medical instrument, the translation and rotational mechanism including; pivoting structure being configured so as to cause the medical instrument to move along a long axis of the medical instrument responsive to rotational movement of an end of such structure, and rotational structure configured so as to cause the medical instrument to rotate about the long axis as the medical instrument moves along the long axis; and a distal support that is distal from the translation and rotational mechanism, which includes a through aperture in which a distal portion of the medical instrument is slidably disposed, wherein the distal support and the translation and rotational mechanism are arranged so the medical instrument distal portion moves through the distal support through aperture such that an insertable end of the medical instruments exits the through aperture and is inserted into the tissue, and wherein the rotational structure includes a drive motor and a plurality of gears arranged so as to operably couple the drive motor to the medical instrument, the plurality of gears including a first gear driven directly by the drive motor, a second gear having a circumference that surrounds the long axis of the medical instrument, and at least one intermediate gear configured to transfer rotation of the first gear to the second gear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20)
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9. An apparatus for causing a medical instrument to be inserted into tissue, said apparatus comprising:
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a robotic device having an arm that is movable in one or more dimensions; a medical instrument driver operably coupled to the medical instrument and operably coupled to the robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is movable so as to position the medical instrument driver with respect to a target area, wherein said medical instrument driver includes; a translation and rotational mechanism operably coupled to one portion of the medical instrument and one portion of the robotic arm, the translation and rotational mechanism including; pivoting structure being configured so as to cause the medical instrument to move along a long axis of the medical instrument responsive to rotational movement of an end of such structure, and rotational structure configured so as to cause the medical instrument to rotate about the long axis as the medical instrument moves along the long axis; and a distal support operably coupled to another portion of the robotic arm and which is distal from the translation and rotational mechanism, said distal support including a through aperture in which a distal portion of the medical instrument is slidably disposed, wherein the distal support and the translation and rotational mechanism are arranged so the medical instrument distal portion moves through and exits the distal support through aperture such that an insertable end of the medical instruments is inserted into the tissue, and wherein the rotational structure includes a drive motor and a plurality of gears arranged so as to operably couple the drive motor to the medical instrument, the plurality of gears including a first gear driven directly by the drive motor, a second gear having a circumference that surrounds the long axis of the medical instrument, and at least one intermediate gear configured to transfer rotation of the first gear to the second gear. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for inserting a medical instrument into tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a medical instrument driver including a translation and rotational mechanism having a pivoting structure configured so as to cause a medical instrument to move along a long axis of the medical instrument, a rotational structure configured so as to cause the medical instrument to rotate about the long axis as the medical instrument moves along the long axis, and a distal support which is distal from the translation and rotational mechanism, said distal support including a through aperture in which a distal portion of the medical instrument is slidably disposed; operably coupling one portion of the medical instrument to the translation and rotational mechanism and slidably coupling another portion of the medical instrument to the distal support; positioning the distal support so an insertable end of the medical instrument is oriented towards a target area; and operating the translation and rotational mechanism so as to cause the medical instrument distal portion to move through the distal support through aperture such that the insertable end is inserted into the tissue, wherein the operating of the translation and rotational mechanism comprises actuating a drive motor to cause rotation of a plurality of gears arranged so as to operably couple the drive motor to the medical instrument, the plurality of gears including a first gear driven directly by the drive motor, a second gear having a circumference that surrounds the long axis of the medical instrument, and at least one intermediate gear configured to transfer rotation of the first gear to the second gear. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification