Catheter with removable vision probe

• US 9,452,276 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• 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, Mohr, Catherine J., Fenech, Carolyn M., Prisco, Giuseppe Maria, Au, Kwok Wai Samuel, Donhowe, Caitlin Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alami, Rajaa El
• Application Number:
  US13/274,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 600/117, 600/153, 600/156, 600/103, 600/113, 600/128
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00078 with stiffening means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/009 with bending or curvature detection of the insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/01 Guiding arrangements therefore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22074 the instrument being only slidable in a channel, e.g. advancing optical fibre through a channel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2061 using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings
• 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 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• 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 2025/0034 : characterized by elements which are assembled, connected or fused, e.g. splittable tubes, outer sheaths creating lumina or separate cores making of catheters A61M25/0009
• 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 25/003 : characterized by features relating to least one lumen located at the distal part of the catheter, e.g. filters, plugs or valves catheter tips A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 : Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0113 : Mechanical advancing means, e.g. catheter dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 : with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 : Guide tubes

Abstract

A medical system includes a catheter and a vision probe that can be removed from the catheter and replaced with a medical probe. The vision probe can thus be used to steer and pose the catheter, and then be removed and replaced with the medical probe when a medical task such as a lung biopsy is performed. A sensor system in the catheter at least partly measures a pose of the catheter, and control logic controls actuation of the catheter to maintain the desired working configuration when the medical probe is used. A small diameter catheter can thus provide vision and biopsy functionality.

Claims

1. A medical system comprising:

a catheter having a main lumen and a mechanical system, wherein the mechanical system is connected to control a pose of a steerable distal tip of the catheter, the pose including a position and orientation of the steerable distal tip of the catheter;

a sensor system coupled to the catheter to generate measurement signals associated with the catheter; and

a control system coupled to the sensor system to receive measurement signals and coupled to the mechanical system to control the catheter, wherein the control system is operable to identify a desired working configuration of the distal tip while an imaging device is deployed in the main lumen for obtaining images and providing the obtained images to an operator interface, wherein the desired working configuration comprises a desired pose of the distal tip of the catheter, the desired pose comprising a desired position and a desired orientation of the distal tip, and the control system is further operable to receive orientation information about the distal tip from the measurement signals generated by the sensor system when the imaging device has been removed from the catheter, and to hold or return the distal tip of the catheter to the desired working configuration when the imaging device has been removed from the catheter and a medical probe is deployed in the main lumen.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a distal section of the catheter has a width less than about 3 mm.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the orientation information is generated by the sensor system and comprises at least one orientation angle of the distal tip.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is operable in a plurality of modes for holding or returning the catheter to the desired working configuration.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of modes includes a position mode in which the control system operates the mechanical system to hold or return the distal tip to a target position.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of modes includes an orientation mode in which the control system operates the mechanical system to hold or return the distal tip at a target orientation.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of modes includes a target mode in which the control system operates the mechanical system to control a combination of a position and an orientation of the distal tip to point the distal tip at a target position.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of modes includes a target axial mode in which the control system operates the mechanical system to control a combination of a position and an orientation of the distal tip such that the distal tip remains on or returns to a target line.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the control system comprises a selection module operable to select and activate one of the plurality of modes.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the selection module is operable to select and activate one of the plurality of modes responsive to a user-input device that allows an operator to select a desired operating mode.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the selection module is operable to select and activate one of the plurality of modes based on a type of medical probe deployed.

12. The medical system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor of the sensor system that is configured to measure the pose of the distal tip.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control system and the sensor form a closed-loop system for monitoring of the distal tip and operating the mechanical system of the catheter.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising the imaging device that is removable from the catheter, wherein the imaging device fills the main lumen when the imaging device is deployed in the catheter.

15. A method for maintaining a desired working configuration of a catheter positioned within patient anatomy, the method comprising:

using an imaging device deployed in a catheter when identifying the desired working configuration of a steerable distal tip of the catheter by a sensor system coupled to the catheter, the imaging device configured to obtain images and provide the obtained images to an operator interface, wherein the working configuration of the distal tip comprises a desired pose of the distal tip;

removing the imaging device from the catheter;

deploying a medical probe in place of the imaging device that was removed;

receiving, by a control system, position or orientation information about the distal tip from a sensor system when the imaging device is removed; and

actuating the catheter, by the control system, to maintain or return to the desired working configuration of the distal tip when a medical probe is deployed in the catheter in place of the imaging device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising using the medical tool to perform a medical task while the vision system is removed from the catheter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the medical task is part of a lung biopsy.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein actuating the catheter comprises holding the distal tip at or returning the distal tip to a target position.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein actuating the catheter comprises holding the distal tip at or returning the distal tip to a target orientation.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein actuating the catheter comprises controlling a combination of a position and an orientation of the distal tip to point the distal tip at a target position.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein actuating the catheter comprises controlling a combination of a position and an orientation of the distal tip such that the distal tip remains on or returns to a target line.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising relaxing the catheter while the imaging device is removed and the medical probe is deployed.