Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Anoop B Kowshik

Carolyn M Fenech

Vincent Duindam

Stephen J Blumenkranz

Caitlin Q Donhowe

Mark Earl Froggatt

Federico Barbagli

Dawn K Gifford

Michael D Paris

Oliver J Wagner

Samuel Y Chang

Christopher B Allenby

Timothy D Soper

Randall L Schlesinger

Christopher R Carlson

A catheter system comprises an elongate flexible catheter and a support structure mounted on the catheter. The support structure comprises a first alignment feature and a second alignment feature. The first alignment feature is configured to mate with a first sensor component and the second alignment feature configured to mate with a second sensor component. When the system further comprises a first sensor component mated with the first alignment feature and a second sensor component mated with the second alignment feature, the first sensor component is fixed relative to the second sensor component in at least one degree of freedom at the support structure by the first and second alignment features.

Systems and methods for configuring components in a minimally invasive instrument

A minimally invasive medical instrument comprises an elongate flexible body comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, a transition portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion, and an inner sheath extending at least within the proximal portion. The inner sheath comprises a plurality of conduits extending through a wall of the inner sheath. A distal end of each conduit terminates at the transition portion. The flexible body further comprises a steerable tube extending within the distal portion. The steerable tube comprises a plurality of grooves in a wall of the steerable tube. The medical instrument further comprises at least one tendon extending from the proximal portion into the distal portion of the flexible body. In the proximal portion, the tendon extends through at least one conduit of the plurality of conduits. In the distal portion, the tendon extends within at least one groove of the plurality of grooves.

Flexible instrument with grooved steerable tube

An elongate flexible instrument includes an elongate flexible instrument, an image capture instrument, and at least one heat transfer element. The elongate flexible instrument defines an internal channel. The internal channel is configured to receive a fluid from a fluid source. The image capture instrument is disposed within the internal channel in a distal portion of the elongate flexible instrument. The at least one heat transfer element is configured to transfer heat from the image capture instrument to the fluid.

Systems and methods for cleaning a minimally invasive instrument

An optical force sensor along with an optical processing apparatus and method are disclosed. The optical force sensor includes an optical fiber, a core included in the optical fiber, an instrument including the optical fiber, the instrument having a distal region, and a tubular structure encasing an end of the optical fiber and secured to the first conduit at the distal region of the instrument. When an optical interferometric system is coupled to the optical fiber, it processes reflected light from a portion of the core included within the tubular structure that does not include Bragg gratings to produce a measurement of a force present at the distal region of the instrument.

Force sensing in a distal region of an instrument including single-core or multi-core optical fiber

A robotic system includes a manipulator assembly including at least one actuator, a control system including at least one processor configured to control the manipulator assembly, an elongate flexible catheter configured to be manipulated by the at least one actuator, and a support structure mounted on a proximal portion of the elongate flexible catheter. The support structure includes a first alignment feature and a second alignment feature. The first alignment feature is configured to mate with a first sensor such that the first sensor is maintained parallel to a longitudinal axis of the support structure. The second alignment feature is configured to mate with a second sensor such that the second sensor is maintained parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support structure and such that the second sensor is fixed relative to the first sensor in at least one degree of freedom.

A medical instrument includes a nested conduit extending through an elongate flexible body. A tendon extends through an inner lumen of the inner conduit. A first control element is coupled to the outer conduit and a second control element is coupled to the inner conduit. Each of the first and second control elements is adjustable between a first state and a second state. The outer conduit is axially constrained proximate the first control element in the first state of the first control element and is not axially constrained in the second state. The inner conduit is axially constrained proximate the second control element in the first state of the second control element and is not axially constrained in the second state. An articulatable length of the nested conduit is variable based on adjustment between the first and second states of the first control element and the second control element.

Flexible instrument with nested conduits

An anatomical probe system includes an elongated flexible body including a channel defined by a wall, an operational component, a support member, an image obstruction detector, and a fluid director. The support member comprises a curved wall having a portion sized to fit within the channel and a frame shaped to retain the operational component. A frame wall is coupled to the curved wall such that the frame wall and the portion of the curved wall form an enclosed interior channel. The frame wall overlaps the portion of the curved wall in an axial direction such that a plane transverse to the axis intersects both the frame wall and the portion of the curved wall. The image obstruction detector is configured to detect an obstruction of the operational component and initiate a cleaning routine. The fluid director is configured to direct the fluid toward the operational component.

A minimally invasive medical instrument comprises an elongate flexible body including a proximal portion, a distal portion, an inner sheath defining a central lumen, and an outer sheath. The inner sheath comprises an inner surface and an outer surface. The instrument further comprises a plurality of conduits embedded within the inner sheath. The plurality of conduits extend through the inner sheath and terminate within the inner sheath. Each conduit includes a conduit lumen and a distal end, and the distal end is directly secured to the inner sheath. The instrument further includes at least one tendon extending through the conduit lumen of at least one conduit of the plurality of conduits from the proximal portion and beyond the distal end of the at least one conduit into the distal portion of the elongate flexible body. The at least one tendon is actuatable to steer the distal portion.

Flexible instrument with embedded actuation conduits

An apparatus may include an instrument including an elongated shaft and a shape sensor including an elongated optical fiber extending within the elongated shaft at a first radial distance from a neutral axis. The apparatus may also comprise a reference sensor disposed within the elongated shaft. The shape sensor may be fixed in a known first position relative to the reference sensor. The apparatus may also comprise a twist resistant feature disposed within the elongated shaft. The twist resistant feature may be coupled to the shape sensor to reduce twisting of the elongated optical fiber relative to the elongated shaft while permitting axial translation of the elongated optical fiber within the elongated shaft. The shape sensor may be coupled to the twist resistant feature at a known second position relative to the reference sensor.

Systems and methods for reducing measurement error using optical fiber shape sensors

An instrument comprises a flexible body comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an inner sheath within the proximal portion. The inner sheath comprises a wall and a plurality of conduits extending through the wall within the proximal portion. A distal end of each conduit terminates proximal to the distal portion. The inner sheath further comprises a plurality of protrusions within the proximal portion. Each protrusion surrounds a portion of a corresponding conduit. The flexible body further comprises a steerable tube extending within the distal portion. The steerable tube comprises a wall and a plurality of grooves in the wall. The instrument further comprises a plurality of tendons extending from the proximal portion, beyond the distal ends of the plurality of conduits, and into the distal portion. In the proximal portion, each tendon extends through a corresponding conduit. In the distal portion, each tendon extends within a corresponding groove.

A catheter system includes an elongate flexible catheter and a support structure mounted on a proximal portion of the elongate flexible catheter. The support structure includes a first alignment feature configured to mate with a first sensor such that the first sensor is maintained parallel to a longitudinal axis of the support structure, and a second alignment feature configured to mate with a second sensor such that the second sensor is maintained parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support structure and such that the second sensor is fixed relative to the first sensor in at least one degree of freedom.

An apparatus comprises an instrument including an elongated shaft. The apparatus also comprises a first shape sensor including an elongated optical fiber extending within the elongated shaft at a first radial distance from the neutral axis. The apparatus also comprises a twist resistant feature configured to reduce twisting of the elongated optical fiber relative to the elongated shaft while permitting axial translation of the elongated optical fiber within the elongated shaft.

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Saratoga, CA, United States of America

Anoop B Kowshik