Automated vessel repair system, devices and methods

• US 20090062639A1
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Harrison Zurn
• Original Assignee: William Harrison Zurn
• Inventors: Zurn, William Harrison
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/410
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/392 Radioactive markers
• 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 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/848 having means for fixation to the vessel wall, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4812 MR combined with X-ray or computed tomography [CT]

Abstract

Systems, devices and automated methods for minimally invasive surgery. A device is fabricated of bio-compatible semiconductor elements, and can be assembled, delivered, navigated and implanted by automated methods, using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology.

Claims

1. A method of implanting a device in a vessel or duct of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning the patient to provide a map of a target surgical location of a defect in the vessel or duct;

programming coordinates of the target surgical location relative to the map in a computer controller;

inserting the device through a small opening in the patient;

moving and guiding the device through the anatomy of the patient to the target location, wherein guiding is performed by registering the device mover with the map to provide precise navigation of the device through the anatomy and to the target surgical location; and

fixing the device to the target surgical location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said moving and guiding are performed by a nuclear magnetic resonance machine, controlled by the computer controller and registered to the map to provide magnetic fields to move the device through the anatomy according to coordinates referenced to the map.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said scanning is performed by a CAT scanner.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said fixing comprises fusing at least a portion of the device to the tissue of the vessel or duct wall.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising assembling the device from a plurality of cells.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the cells are assembled by polarizing portions thereof to attract to one another.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the device is assembled to have a size determined to adequately cover the defect, as determined by the coordinates of the locations of the defect dimensions.

8. A minimally invasive method of implanting a device in a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning the patient to provide a map of a target surgical location in the patient;

programming coordinates of the target surgical location relative to the map in a computer controller;

inserting the device through a small opening in the patient;

moving and guiding the device through the anatomy of the patient to the target location, wherein guiding is performed by registering the device mover with the map to provide precise navigation of the device through the anatomy and to the target surgical location; and

fixing the device to the target surgical location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said moving and guiding are performed by a nuclear magnetic resonance machine, controlled by the computer controller and registered to the map to provide magnetic fields to move the device through the anatomy according to coordinates referenced to the map.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising assembling the device from a plurality of cells.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the cells are assembled by polarizing portions thereof to attract to one another.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the device is assembled to have a size determined to adequately cover a surgical target area at the surgical target location, as determined by coordinates of the surgical target area inputted to the computer.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of devices are implanted, and at least two of said devices are implanted either serially or in parallel.

14. An implantable device comprising:

a plurality of cells interconnected by magnetic attraction forces.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said device comprises a patch having a length and a width.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein said cells are joined to form a device comprising a tubular body.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein said cells are bio-semiconductor cells.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein said device is assigned a unique radio frequency identification code.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein each said cell is assigned a unique radio frequency identification code.

20. The device of claim 14, said device being movable and navigatable by magnetic fields applied externally of a patient in which the device is placed.

21. A biocompatible semiconductor cell usable to assemble an implant device, said cell comprising:

a communication element configured to receive radio frequency energy from a source external of said cell;

polarity regions adjacent edges of the cell; and

a communication link between said communication element and each of said polarity regions, wherein radio frequency energy received by said communication element is transmittable via said communication links to alter polarity of one or more of said polarity regions.

22. The cell of claim 21, further comprising at least one position element that can be monitored by a nuclear magnetic resonance machine that is external of a patient'"'"'s body, when said cell is located within the patient'"'"'s body, to track a location of said cell within the patient'"'"'s body.

23. The cell of claim 21, further comprising a radioactive tracer element located on at least a portion of said cell.

24. The cell of claim 21, wherein said communication element is assigned a unique radio frequency identification code.

25. The cell of claim 21, further comprising at least one fusion portion, said fusion portion configured to receive energy from a source that is external of a patient'"'"'s body, when said cell is located within the patient'"'"'s body, and, upon receiving the energy, to heat up and fuse to tissue in the patient'"'"'s body.