Robotic catheter manipulator assembly

• US 20130178794A1
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kirschenman, Mark B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,314,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/95.04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• 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 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Abstract

A robotic catheter manipulator assembly may include a support member including a catheter manipulation base and a sheath manipulation base movable relative to each other and to the support member. Each respective manipulation base may be releasably connectable to a catheter cartridge and a sheath cartridge. A drive mechanism may be provided for moving the catheter and sheath manipulation bases relative to each other and to the support member. The manipulation base or the cartridge may include a first element engageable with a complementary second element slidably engaged with the other one of the manipulation base or the cartridge for controlling movement of a component connected to the cartridge. The cartridge, for example, may be a transseptal cartridge, a catheter cartridge or a sheath cartridge, and the component may respectively be a surgically insertable device such as a transseptal needle, a catheter or a sheath.

Claims

1. A robotic catheter manipulator assembly comprising:

a support member including at least one catheter manipulation base and at least one sheath manipulation base movable relative to each other and to the support member, each respective manipulation base being releasably connectable to at least one catheter cartridge and at least one sheath cartridge, and wherein the catheter manipulation base is disposed generally behind the sheath manipulation base to allow insertion of a catheter into a sheath respectively connected to the catheter and sheath cartridges;

means for moving the catheter and sheath manipulation bases relative to each other and to the support member;

means for releasably locking the catheter manipulation base with the catheter cartridge; and

means for releasably locking the sheath manipulation base with the sheath cartridge.

2. The robotic catheter manipulator assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the catheter manipulation base and the catheter cartridge includes at least one finger engageable with at least one complementary slider block in the other one of the catheter manipulation base and the catheter cartridge for controlling movement of a catheter by pulling a steering wire attached to the catheter and one of the finger and the slider block.

3. The robotic catheter manipulator assembly according to claim 2, wherein the finger is movable by one of a motor driven lead screw, a ball screw, a belt drive, a rolling ring linear drive and a piezo motor drive.

4. The robotic catheter manipulator assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the sheath manipulation base and the sheath cartridge includes at least one finger engageable with at least one complementary slider block in the other one of the sheath manipulation base and the sheath cartridge for controlling movement of a sheath by pulling a steering wire attached to the sheath and one of the finger and the slider block.

5. The robotic catheter manipulator assembly according to claim 4, wherein the finger is movable by one of a motor driven lead screw, a ball screw, a belt drive, a rolling ring linear drive and a piezo motor drive.

6. The robotic catheter manipulator assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the catheter manipulation base and the catheter cartridge includes at least one first element engageable with at least one complementary second element slidably engaged with the other one of the catheter manipulation base and the catheter cartridge for controlling movement of a catheter by pulling a steering wire attached to the catheter and one of the first and second elements.

7. The robotic catheter manipulator assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the sheath manipulation base and the sheath cartridge includes at least one first element engageable with at least one complementary second element slidably engaged with the other one of the sheath manipulation base and the sheath cartridge for controlling movement of a sheath by pulling a steering wire attached to the sheath and one of the first and second elements.

8. The robotic catheter manipulator assembly according to claim 1, wherein the means for moving the catheter and sheath manipulation bases comprises one of a motor driven lead screw, a ball screw, a belt drive, a rolling ring linear drive and a piezo motor drive.