APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR FIBER INTEGRATION AND REGISTRATION

• US 20160374590A1
• Filed: 09/07/2016
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wong, Serena H., Hsu, Jason J., Macnamara, Francis, Reis, Gene, Schlesinger, Randall L., Tanner, Neal A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,667,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/009 with bending or curvature detection of the insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2061 using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• 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 5/065 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: 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 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/242 the material being an optical fibre

Abstract

Systems and methods for integrating and/or registering a shape sensing fiber in or to various instruments are described herein. Registration fixtures and registration techniques for matching the coordinate system of a fiber to the coordinate system of an elongate instrument or other device are provided. Various systems and methods for integrating a shape sensing fiber into an elongate instrument or other device are also described herein.

Claims

1. A system for registering a shape-sensing fiber to an elongate instrument, the system comprising:

an elongate instrument having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen defined therein; and

a shape-sensing fiber, wherein at least a first portion of the fiber, including a first end, is positioned within the at least one lumen of the elongate instrument, and wherein at least a second end of the fiber is affixed to a reference structure at a fixed point separate from and proximal to the elongate instrument,

wherein every location on the fiber is measurable relative to the fixed point to determine a relative position and shape of the fiber, and

wherein the fiber is fixed in six degrees of freedom at the fixed point, with the position of the fiber relative to the elongate instrument known in all six degrees of freedom at the fixed point, such that an absolute measurement of position, orientation, and shape of the elongate instrument is quantifiable from the relative position and shape of the fiber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reference structure is a robotic arm, and wherein the elongate instrument is attached to and robotically steerable by the robotic arm.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reference structure is a patient bed or a patient table.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the reference structure is on a patient.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the elongate instrument is selected from the group comprising a catheter, an endoscope and a bronchoscope.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first end of the fiber is fixed to the distal end of the elongate instrument.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the fiber positioned within the at least one lumen of the elongate instrument is decoupled or free floating relative to the at least one lumen.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second end of the fiber is fixed in a straight configuration.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second end of the fiber is affixed to the fixed point with glue.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second end of the fiber is affixed to the fixed point by an anchoring mechanism selected from the group consisting of a hypotube, a tube, a block, a plate and a groove.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to match a coordinate system of the fiber to a coordinate system of the elongate instrument at the fixed point.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller operatively coupled to the elongate instrument and configured to control actuation of the elongate instrument; and

an instrument driver and an interface for generating an actuating force and transferring the actuating force to the elongate instrument to articulate a distal portion of the elongate instrument in at least one degree of freedom.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the elongate instrument is removably coupled to the instrument driver.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the position of the fiber relative to the elongate instrument is determined during a calibration process performed during manufacturing.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the calibration process comprises:

collecting calibration data from the elongate instrument and the fiber; and

using the calibration data to calculate a transform between the coordinate system of the fiber and the coordinate system of the elongate instrument.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the calibration data is stored for the elongate instrument and retrievable during use.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a computing device and memory with the calibration data stored thereon, the computing device configured to apply the calibration data to transform the measured location, position, and shape of the fiber and determine the absolute measurement of position, shape, and orientation of the elongate instrument.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the orientation of the elongate instrument is used to enable instinctive driving of the elongate instrument.