Auris Health, Inc.

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Han Sen Medical, Inc.

Francis T Macnamara

Arkady Kokish

Dennis R Boulais

J Scot Hart, Jr

Andrew Kirouac

Kamini Balaji

Neal A Tanner

Sean Paul Walker

Enrique Romo

Jason Joseph Hsu

Gene Reis

Randall L Schlesinger

Jeffery B Alvarez

Serena H Wong

Roy H Sullivan, Iii

Paul Smith

Robert B Devries

John Kummailil

Joseph Bogusky

Kiran Murthy

Teresa Miller

Dave Camarillo

Miles Joseph

Leena Kadakia

Greg Stahler

Federico Gutierrez

Thomas M Ragonese

James Duronio

Chris Carlson

Jeff Alvarez

Helen Truong

Gary S Kappel

The present application is related to devices, systems, and methods for controlling active drive systems. In one embodiment, the drive system may include a first surface and a second surface for engaging an elongate member. The first and second surfaces may be attached to a drive mechanism to move the elongate member. The first surface may be slidable relative to the drive mechanism and may have a clearance between the drive mechanism and an end of the first surface during movement of the elongate member in a non-slip condition. A sensor may be associated with the first surface and may be configured to detect movement of the first surface in a slip condition.

Devices, systems, and methods for controlling active drive systems

A steerable catheter system may include a flexible elongate catheter body, a drive mechanism at the proximal end of the catheter body, and at least one group of pullwires extending along a length of the catheter body. The catheter body may include a distal articulating section and a proximal non-articulating section. Each group of pullwires includes at least two pullwires, and each of the pullwires is anchored at a first end to the distal end of the catheter body and at a second end to the drive mechanism. The pullwires of each group are positioned close to one another in the catheter wall to concentrate the forces and cause deflection along the articulating section of the catheter body and diverge away from one another to reach a more separated distribution around a circumference of the catheter body to distribute the forces and prevent deflection along the non-articulating section.

Steerable catheter with shaft load distributions

An exemplary drive apparatus may include a roller assembly and a roller support. The roller assembly may have a first continuous surface, a second continuous surface, an open configuration for receiving an elongate member, and a closed configuration for securing the elongate member in the roller assembly. The roller assembly imparts axial motion to the elongate member along the first continuous surface, which maintains contact with the elongate member during the axial motion. The roller support rotates the roller assembly about the second continuous surface, which maintains contact with the roller support during rotational motion. The roller assembly and roller support to impart axial and rotational motion, respectively, independently of one another.

Active drive mechanism for simultaneous rotation and translation

An instrument having a flexible and elongated body includes at least a lumen and a flex member disposed within the lumen. The flex member may be capable of providing steering control to a first portion of the elongate body while providing load bearing support to a second portion of the elongate body. A pull wire may be disposed within the flex member, and at least a distal portion of the pull wire may be coupled to the elongate body and a proximal portion of the pull wire may be operatively coupled to a control unit. The control unit may be coupled to a proximal portion of the elongate body. In addition, a control member may be operatively coupled to the control unit such that a distal portion of the control member may be positioned near a proximal portion of the flex member. The control member may be configured to support the flex member and control the movement or displacement of the flex member. Furthermore, the flex member may be configured to selectively decouple articulation or steering forces of a first portion of the elongate body away from a second portion of the elongate body; thereby, preventing compression of the second portion of the elongate body while maintaining elasticity or flexibility of the second portion of the elongate body.

Flexible and steerable elongate instruments with shape control and support elements

A robotic surgical system configured for the articulation of a catheter comprises an input device, a control computer, and an instrument driver having at least one motor for displacing the pull-wire of a steerable catheter wherein the control computer is configured to determine the desired motor torque or tension of the pull-wire of a catheter based on user manipulation of the input device. The control computer is configured to output the desired motor torque or tension of the pull-wire to the instrument driver, whereby at least one motor of the instrument driver implements the desired motor torque to cause the desired pull-wire tension to articulate the distal tip of the catheter.

Torque-based catheter articulation

Systems and methods for integrating and/or registering a shape sensing fiber in or to various instruments are described herein. Registration fixtures and registration techniques for matching the coordinate system of a fiber to the coordinate system of an elongate instrument or other device are provided. Various systems and methods for integrating a shape sensing fiber into an elongate instrument or other device are also described herein.

Apparatus and methods for fiber integration and registration

A robotic surgical system configured for the articulation of a catheter includes an input device, a control computer, and an instrument driver having at least one motor for displacing the pull-wire of a steerable catheter wherein the control computer is configured to determine the desired motor torque or tension of the pull-wire of a catheter based on user manipulation of the input device. The control computer is configured to output the desired motor torque or tension of the pull-wire to the instrument driver, whereby at least one motor of the instrument driver implements the desired motor torque to cause the desired pull-wire tension to articulate the distal tip of the catheter.

A robotic surgical system configured for the articulation of a catheter comprises an input device, a control computer, and an instrument driver having at least one motor for displacing the pull-wire of a steerable catheter wherein the control computer is configured to determine the desired motor torque or tension of the pull-wire of a catheter based on user manipulation of the input device. The control computer is configured to output the desired motor torque or tension of the pull-wire to the instrument driver, whereby at least one motor of the instrument driver implements the desired motor torque to cause the desired pull-wire tension to articulate the distal tip of the catheter. The present embodiment further contemplates a robotic surgical method for the articulation of a steerable catheter wherein an input device is manipulated to communicate a desired catheter position to a control computer and motor torque commands are outputted to an instrument driver. The robotic system may further comprise a torque sensor. The robotic system may also incorporate closed loop feedback in which data from the torque measuring device is used to ensure that the torque in the motor or tension in the pull-wire closely matches the motor torque command from the control computer.

A steerable catheter comprises a flexible catheter body including a proximal shaft section and a distal articulating section, a proximal steering interface coupled to the proximal shaft section, and at least one hollow stiffening member extending through the proximal shaft section. The stiffening member(s) is more rigid than the proximal shaft section and is laterally offset from a geometric cross-sectional center of the proximal shaft section. The steerable catheter further comprises circumferentially spaced lumens extending through the distal articulating section, and pullwires extending through the stiffening member(s) in the proximal shaft section and the respective lumens in the distal articulating section. Each of the pullwires has a distal end that terminates in the catheter body distal to the distal articulating section and a proximal end that terminates in the steering interface. The steering interface is manipulatable to selectively tension the pullwires to bend the distal articulating section.

Catheter having unirail pullwire architecture

Medical devices having an elongated steerable member are described herein. In one embodiment, a device includes an elongated body having a proximal section, a distal section, and a working lumen extending through the proximal and distal sections, a first coil having a distal portion, and a proximal portion, the proximal portion of the first coil being slidable relative to the proximal section of the elongated body, and being closer to a wall of the elongated body than to an axis of the elongated body, wherein a lengthwise portion of the distal portion of the first coil is anchored to the distal section of the elongated body, and a first steering wire located within a lumen of the first coil.

Steerable catheters

Growing community of inventors

Needham, MA, United States of America

Francis T Macnamara