| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080218770 | Robotic surgical instrument and methods using bragg fiber sensors - A positionable medical instrument assembly, e.g., a robotic instrument driver configured to maneuver an elongate medical instrument, includes a first member coupled to a second member by a movable joint, with a Bragg fiber sensor coupled to the first and second members, such that relative movement of the first and second members about the movable joint causes a bending of at least a portion of the Bragg fiber sensor. The Bragg fiber sensor has a proximal end operatively coupled to a controller configured to receive signals from the Bragg fiber sensor indicative of a bending thereof, the controller configured to analyze the signals to determine a relative position of the first and second members about the movable joint. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20090036900 | SURGERY METHODS USING A ROBOTIC INSTRUMENT SYSTEM - Various methods for performing various surgical procedures using a robotic instrument system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises advancing a guide instrument into a patient's body and to the vicinity of a treatment area. The guide instrument may be a robotically controlled catheter which is controlled by a robotic catheter system. The guide instrument comprises an elongate flexible body having a proximal end and a distal end, and an end effector coupled to the distal end. The end effector may comprise various devices for assisting and performing the surgical procedure. For example, the end effector may be a clip applier, a laser fiber, a cryo fiber, or a needle and grasper. An image capture device may also be coupled to the distal end to assist in positioning and operating the guide instrument. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090062602 | APPARATUS FOR ROBOTIC INSTRUMENT HAVING VARIABLE FLEXIBILITY AND TORQUE TRANSMISSION - A flexible spine for use in one or more surgical instruments including a catheter and/or sheath of a robotic instrument system. The spine includes an elongate body that defines a central lumen and that is a unitary structure having a plurality of discrete sections, each of which has a distinguishing structural attribute that differentiates it from the other sections. Such distinguishing structural attributes may include, without limitation, materials, material attributes, shapes, sizes and/or attributes related to apertures in a wall of the elongate body, such as a number, shape, size, spacing and degree of overlap of such apertures. The arrangement of discrete, structurally different sections results in varying flexibility of the elongate spine and of corresponding sections of a surgical instrument incorporating the spine. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20100174149 | ENDOSCOPIC INFLATABLE RETRACTION DEVICE, METHOD OF USING, AND METHOD OF MAKING - A method of providing access to tissue for a surgical instrument through a body wall is provided. The method includes providing an expandable retractor having a flexible sheath, the retractor being in a collapsed state; introducing the retractor into the body and placing the retractor adjacent the tissue; expanding the retractor; deploying the flexible sheath by engaging the flexible sheath with a tool and driving the flexible sheath through the body wall with the tool; and inserting the surgical instrument from outside the body through the flexible sheath to provide access to the tissue by the surgical instrument. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100234857 | MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH OPERATIVELY COUPLABLE SIMULATOR UNIT FOR SURGEON TRAINING - A medical robotic system has a surgeon console which is operatively couplable to a patient side unit for performing medical procedures or operatively couplable to a simulator unit for training purposes. The surgeon console has a monitor, input devices and foot pedals. The patient side unit has robotic arm assemblies coupled to instruments and an endoscope. When the surgeon console is coupled to the patient side unit, the instruments move in response to movement of the input devices to perform a medical procedure while captured images of the instruments are displayed on the monitor. When the surgeon console is coupled to the simulator unit, virtual instruments move in response to movement of the input devices to perform a user selected virtual procedure while virtual images of the virtual instruments are displayed on the monitor. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100308195 | SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR ROBOTIC CATHETER SYSTEM - A support assembly for supporting a remotely-controlled instrument driver, including a first member, a second member for supporting the instrument driver, and an interface assembly for allowing the second member to rotate relative to the first member about a first axis, and for allowing the second member to rotate relative to the first member about a second axis that forms an angle relative to the first axis, wherein the interface assembly comprises a ball that is rotatable relative to the first member, and a shaft extending through the ball, the shaft configured for coupling to the second member. | 12-09-2010 |
| 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 |
