Electromagnetic sensor with probe and guide sensing elements

• US 10,682,070 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2015
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Duindam, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Kremer, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/802,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20160007880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• 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 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

A medical system comprises a probe comprising a terminal distal end. The system further comprises a first coil in the probe and comprises a guide instrument including a terminal distal end and defining a lumen sized to guide the probe. The probe can be inserted through the lumen to reach a worksite. At the worksite, the terminal distal end of the probe is configured to reach at least the terminal distal end of the guide instrument. The system further comprises a sensor embedded in a wall of the guide instrument and comprises processing hardware configured to receive a first induced signal from the first coil and to receive from the sensor an indication of a pointing direction of the guide instrument. The processing hardware is configured to use the first induced signal and the indication of the pointing direction to determine a roll angle of the probe.

Claims

1. A medical system comprising:

a probe comprising a terminal distal end;

a first coil in the probe;

a guide instrument comprising a terminal distal end and defining a lumen sized to guide the probe, wherein the probe is configured to be inserted through the lumen to reach a worksite, and wherein at the worksite, the terminal distal end of the probe is configured to reach at least the terminal distal end of the guide instrument;

a sensor embedded in a wall of the guide instrument; and

processing hardware configured to receive a first induced signal from the first coil and to receive from the sensor an indication of a pointing direction of the guide instrument, the processing hardware being configured to use both the first induced signal from the first coil and the indication of the pointing direction from the sensor to determine a roll angle of the probe.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the probe comprises one of a surgical tool, a camera, or a vision system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the guide instrument comprises one of a catheter, an endoscope, a bronchoscope, or a cannula.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the probe comprises one of a surgical tool, a camera, or a vision system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor comprises a second coil in the guide instrument; and

the processing hardware is configured to receive a second induced signal from the second coil and employ the second induced signal as the indication of the pointing direction.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a field generator configured to generate a varying magnetic field that induces the first induced signal in the first coil and induces the second induced signal in the second coil.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the second coil is a helical coil.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coil comprises wire that is wound in a plurality of loops collectively defining a first core extending along a lengthwise direction of the probe, wherein each of the loops defines a first normal direction that is at a non-zero angle relative to the lengthwise direction.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing hardware is configured to use the first induced signal and the indication of the pointing direction from the sensor to determine six degrees of freedom of the probe.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first coil is the only coil in the probe.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing hardware is configured to receive the first induced signal and the indication of the pointing direction when the probe is at the worksite.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein after the processing hardware receives the first induced signal and the indication of the pointing direction, the probe is configured to be removed from the lumen of the guide instrument.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the guide instrument further comprises:

a proximal section;

a steerable distal section; and

a plurality of actuation cables extending from the proximal section into the steerable distal section,

wherein each actuation cable of the plurality of actuation cables is configured to actuate the steerable distal section.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an actuator, wherein each actuation cable of the plurality of actuation cables is coupled to the actuator, and wherein the actuator is configured to actuate the steerable distal section of the guide instrument by actuating each actuation cable of the plurality of actuation cables.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the sensor comprises a shape sensor; and

the processing hardware is configured to receive a second signal from the shape sensor and employ the second signal as the indication of the pointing direction.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein a roll axis of the probe extends in a direction normal to the sensor in the guide instrument.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a surgical tool sized to extend within the lumen of the guide instrument, wherein a terminal distal end of the surgical tool is configured to reach at least the terminal distal end of the guide instrument.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the surgical tool includes a biopsy needle.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the surgical tool includes a second coil, and wherein the processing hardware is configured to receive a second induced signal from the second coil and to use both the second induced signal from the second coil and the indication of the pointing direction from the sensor to determine a roll angle of the surgical tool.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the surgical tool includes an asymmetric biopsy needle, and wherein the processing hardware is configured to determine the roll angle of the surgical tool when the surgical tool extends past the terminal distal end of the guide instrument.