Interchangeable surgical instrument

• US 7,297,142 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2002
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Brock, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Vy Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/077,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/130, 606/181, 606/146, 600102-103, 600117-118
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00088 using thermistors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00362 Packages or dispensers for MIS instruments A61B2017/0479 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 : Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 : Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 : for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 : using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 : By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 : Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 : the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/416 : the spleen
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 : lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4893 : Nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 : using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A system and associated method for delivering to an internal body site a selected one of a plurality of instruments. An instrument storage chamber is providing having passages for separately accommodating a plurality of instruments. An outlet guide tube couples from the instrument storage chamber and receives a selected one of these instruments for delivery to an internal operative site. An indexing mechanism is provided associated with the chamber for causing relative displacement between the instruments and the outlet guide tube. An instrument driver displaces the registered instrument from the chamber into the outlet guide tube for delivery to the internal operative site.

Claims

1. An interchangeable instrument system, comprising:

a plurality of separate instrument members each capable of assisting in a different phase of a medical procedure to be performed at an anatomical operative site;

a single instrument storage chamber for releasably receiving said instrument members accommodated in separate storage locations within said instrument storage chamber;

an instrument driver constructed and arranged for cooperative positioning relative to said instrument storage chamber, for selective coaxial alignment with one of said instrument members at a time, and for displacing said aligned instrument member from said instrument storage chamber toward said operative site; and

an indexing mechanism for positionally controlling at least one of said instrument driver and instrument storage chamber so as to provide relative displacement therebetween, whereby said indexing mechanism selectively and coaxially aligns said instrument driver with different ones of said instrument members.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said instrument storage chamber comprises a rotating chamber having said storage locations therein.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said instrument members has a rest storage position when disposed in the instrument storage chamber, and a working position when coupled to said operative site, and further comprising an outlet guide tube for receiving said aligned instrument member when said aligned instrument member is in its working position.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said indexing mechanism is for rotating said instrument storage chamber so that said different ones of said instrument members may be coaxially aligned with said outlet guide tube.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a carriage for supporting and linearly translating said instrument driver.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said instrument driver has cabling and said one instrument member has cabling.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6 further including a coupling interface for selectively connecting said cabling of said instrument driver with said cabling of said one instrument member.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said coupling interface comprises corresponding hooks associated with said instrument driver and said one instrument member, and engageable when said instrument driver selects said one instrument member.

9. A system as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a base piece for supporting said carriage for rotation about a central axis.

10. A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein each storage location in the said instrument storage chamber has an enlarged section to facilitate disengagement of said engageable hooks.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein facing ends of said instrument driver and said one instrument member have interlocking surfaces.

12. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a drive unit for operating a tool at a distal end of each of said instrument members.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said drive unit is configured to be remotely controlled from a user interface.

14. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said indexing mechanism is for controlling the position of said instrument storage chamber.

15. A system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising an actuation member at said user interface for remotely controlling said indexing mechanism.

16. A system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said actuation member includes at least one of a switch, touch screen, pointer, or voice activation device.

17. An interchangeable instrument system, comprising:

a single storage retainer that supports a plurality of separately arranged instruments, and includes inlet and outlet ports, said outlet port configured to be arranged in coaxial alignment with a target or operative site where a selected one of said instruments is to be delivered for performing a medical procedure, said storage retainer being selectively operable, upon command, to permit different instruments to coaxially align between said inlet and outlet ports;

a work implement supported at the distal end of each instrument; and

an instrument transporter in coaxial alignment with said inlet port, and adapted to engage said selected instrument disposed in said storage retainer, so as to deliver said selected instrument, via said outlet port to said target or operative site, said instrument transporter, in addition to engagement with said selected instrument, also operatively coupling with and enabling operation of said work implement of said selected instrument.

18. A system as set forth in claim 17 further comprising an electrical controller for operating said work implement of said selected instrument in response to a remote user interface.

19. A system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said storage retainer further includes an instrument storage chamber and an indexing mechanism for controlling the position of said instrument storage chamber.

20. A system as set forth in claim 19 further comprising an actuation member at said user interface for remotely controlling said indexing mechanism.

21. A system as set forth in claim 20 wherein said actuation member includes at least one of a switch, touch screen, pointer, or voice activation device.

22. An interchangeable instrument system, comprising:

a single instrument retainer having multiple storage locations for receiving a plurality of instruments disposed separately in said respective storage locations;

an instrument driver constructed and arranged for cooperative positioning relative to said instrument retainer, for selective coaxial alignment with one of said instruments at a time, and for displacing said aligned instrument from said instrument retainer toward an anatomical operative site;

an indexing mechanism controlling the position of said instrument retainer, whereby said indexing mechanism selectively and coaxially aligns different ones of said instruments with said instrument driver; and

an actuation member disposed at a user interface for controlling said indexing mechanism.

23. A system as set forth in claim 22 further comprising an electrical controller for operating said indexing mechanism in response to command signals from said user interface.

24. A system as set forth in claim 22 wherein said actuation member includes at least one of a switch, touch screen, pointer, or voice activation device.

25. A system as set forth in claim 22 wherein said user interface is a remote user interface.

26. An interchangeable instrument system, comprising:

a plurality of medical instruments;

a single instrument retainer for releasably holding said instruments; and

an instrument transporter associated with said instrument retainer, for selective coaxial alignment with one of said instruments at a time, and for displacing said aligned instrument from said instrument retainer toward an anatomical operative site; and

an indexing mechanism for positionally controlling at least one of said instrument retainer and instrument transporter so as to provide relative displacement therebetween, whereby said indexing mechanism selectively and coaxially aligns said instrument transporter with different ones of said instruments.

27. An interchangeable instrument system as set forth in claim 26 further comprising a driver for controlling said indexing mechanism in response to command signals from a remote user interface.

28. An interchangeable instrument system as set forth in claim 27 further comprising an actuation member disposed at said remote user interface for controlling said indexing mechanism.

29. An interchangeable instrument system as set forth in claim 26 wherein said instrument retainer comprises a rotating chamber having a plurality of passages therein.

30. An interchangeable instrument system as set forth in claim 26 wherein said instrument retainer comprises a linear chamber for receiving said instruments.

31. An interchangeable instrument system as set forth in claim 30 wherein said instrument transporter is positioned in parallel to said linear chamber, and a selected instrument is configured to be moved transversely out of said chamber for coaxial alignment with said instrument transporter.

32. An interchangeable instrument system as set forth in claim 26 wherein said indexing mechanism is for controlling the position of said instrument retainer so as to selectively coaxially align said different ones of said instruments with said instrument transporter.