| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090254083 | ROBOTIC ABLATION CATHETER - Assemblies, systems, and methods related to remotely-steerable ablation procedures are described. A necked-down ablation catheter may be coupled within a working lumen of a robotically-steerable sheath configured to be driveably coupled to an electromechanical instrument driver. The ablation catheter may be an irrigated ablation catheter having an irrigation fluid reservoir at its distal tip. The outer diameter of the distal portion of the ablation catheter is generally larger than that of the more proximal aspects due, in part, to the fact that the proximal aspects are designed to fit through a relatively low-profile steerable sheath. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20110230896 | ROBOTIC CATHETER SYSTEM - A robotic catheter system includes a controller with a master input device. An instrument driver is in communication with the controller and has a guide instrument interface including a plurality of guide instrument drive elements responsive to control signals generated, at least in part, by the master input device. An elongate guide instrument has a base, distal end, and a working lumen, wherein the guide instrument base is operatively coupled to the guide instrument interface. The guide instrument includes a plurality of guide instrument control elements operatively coupled to respective guide drive elements and secured to the distal end of the guide instrument. The guide instrument control elements are axially moveable relative to the guide instrument such that movement of the guide instrument distal end may be controlled by the master input device. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110238083 | ROBOTIC CATHETER SYSTEM AND METHODS - The apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention is comprised of a flexible sheath instrument, a flexible guide instrument, and a tool. The flexible sheath instrument comprises a first instrument base removably coupleable to an instrument driver and defines a sheath instrument working lumen. The flexible guide instrument comprises a second instrument base removably coupleable to the instrument driver and is threaded through the sheath instrument working lumen. The guide instrument also defines a guide instrument working lumen. The tool is threaded through the guide instrument working lumen. For this embodiment of the apparatus, the sheath instrument and guide instrument are independently controllable relative to each other. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110270273 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS - A robotic surgical system ( | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110295247 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED MINIMALLY INVASIVE THERAPY USING RADIOMETRY - Systems and methods are described for automating aspects of minimally invasive therapeutic treatment of patients. In one embodiment a robotic catheter system may comprise a controller including a master input device; and an electromechanically steerable elongate instrument having a proximal interface portion and a distal portion, the proximal interface portion being configured to be operatively coupled to an electromechanical instrument driver in communication with the controller, the distal portion being configured to be interactively navigated adjacent internal tissue structures of a patient's body in response to signals from the controller; wherein the distal portion of the elongate instrument comprises an antenna operatively coupled to the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the temperature of structures adjacent to the distal portion of the elongate instrument utilizing radiometry analysis. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110295248 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED MINIMALLY INVASIVE INSTRUMENT COMMAND - In one embodiment a system may comprise a controller including a master input device; and an electromechanically steerable elongate instrument having proximal interface and portions, the proximal interface portion being configured to be operatively coupled to an electromechanical instrument driver in communication with the controller, the distal portion being configured to be interactively navigated adjacent internal tissue structures of a patient's body in response to signals from the controller; wherein the controller is operatively coupled to a treatment interactivity variable sensor selected from the group consisting of: a cardiac electrogram electrode, an RF generator power output sensor, an instrument distal portion impedance sensor, and an instrument distal portion force sensor; and wherein the controller is configured to affect the operation of the electromechanically steerable elongate catheter by automatically executing an instrument movement or treatment command based upon changes in information received from the treatment interactivity variable sensor. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110295267 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED TISSUE STRUCTURE TRAVERSAL - Systems and methods are described for automating aspects of minimally invasive therapeutic treatment of patients. A robotic tissue structure traversal system may comprise a controller including a master input device, an electromechanically controlled elongate instrument having a proximal interface portion and a distal portion, the proximal interface portion being configured to be operatively coupled to an electromechanical instrument driver in communication with the controller, the distal portion comprising a traversing tip and being configured to be interactively navigated about internal structures of a patient's body in response to signals from the controller; and a load sensor operatively coupled between the distal portion of the elongate instrument and the controller; wherein the controller is configured to automatically advance the traversing tip through a thickness of an internal structure by observing loads from the load sensor. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110295268 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED MASTER INPUT SCALING - Embodiments are described for automating aspects of minimally invasive therapeutic treatment of patients. A robotic medical instrument system, comprising an elongate instrument having proximal and distal ends; a controller configured to selectively actuate one or more motors operably coupled to the instrument to thereby selectively move the instrument; a master input device in communication with the controller and configured to generate input commands in response to a directional movement of the master input device; and a load sensor operatively coupled to the elongate instrument and configured to sense magnitude and direction of loads applied to the distal end of the elongate instrument; wherein the controller is configured to compute an instrument movement command to selectively move the instrument based upon the input commands and an input command scaling factor applied to the input commands, the input command scaling factor being variable with the magnitude of sensed loads. | 12-01-2011 |