Microdexterity Systems, Inc.

Devicor Medical Products, Inc.

Other

Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Mallinckrodt Medical, Inc.

Biopsys Medical

J Michael Stuart

Fred H Burbank

Mark Andrew Ritchart

Kenneth M Galt

Steve T Charles

Larry Bronisz

David Frigger

Robert S Stoughton

Jeff G Uding

A manipulator, such as for use in medical procedures, is provided. The manipulator includes a body and a first actuator system connected to the body at a first attachment point and capable of moving the first attachment point with at least three degrees of freedom. A second actuator system is connected to the body at a second attachment point and capable of moving the second attachment point with at least three degrees of freedom. A third actuator system is integrated with the body and is capable of moving at least a portion of the body with at least one degree of freedom.

Manipulator

A biopsy system includes a housing, a cannula, a hollow cutter, and a rotatable tissue sample holder. The cannula extends distally from the housing and is rotatable with respect to the housing. The cutter is movable with respect to the cannula for severing tissue received by the cannula. The tissue sample holder includes a plurality of separate tissue sample compartments, the tissue sample compartments being disposed about an axis of rotation of the tissue sample holder. The biopsy system transports severed tissue samples to the tissue sample holder.

Methods and devices for biopsy and collection of soft tissue

A biopsy system includes a cannula, a cutter, and a tissue sample holder. The cannula includes a closed distal end and a lateral tissue receiving port. The cutter is coaxially disposed with the cannula for severing tissue received in the tissue receiving port. The tissue sample holder includes a plurality of discrete tissue sample compartments. The biopsy system transports individual tissue samples to the discrete tissue sample compartments of the tissue sample holder.

A biopsy device may include a housing and a disposable biopsy assembly releasably received in the housing. The disposable biopsy assembly may include a cutter coaxially disposed with respect to a needle, and a plurality of gears may be engaged when the disposable biopsy sample is inserted in the housing. A tissue sample holder may be disposed within housing.

Instruments for performing percutaneous biopsy procedures are disclosed, which have advantageous features for improving functionality and performance over prior art devices. These instruments comprise two types, single-use devices, and multiple-use devices having active tissue capture capability. Improved features include the ability to retrieve and evaluate multiple tissue samples during a single insertion procedure, without physical handling of the samples, as well as constructional features, such as a molded tissue cassette housing, variant vacuum port embodiments suited for different tissue environments, and a method for backflushing the instrument to remove biological debris, among others.

Methods and devices for automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue

A biopsy device and related method are disclosed. The biopsy device disclosed includes a needle having a lateral opening for receiving tissue. The needle may be rotatable with respect to a portion of the biopsy device, such as a housing of the biopsy device, and the needle may be offset from a center of the housing. A hollow cutter is disclosed for cutting tissue received in the lateral opening of the needle.

The present invention provides a surgical manipulator which is capable of manipulating a surgical or medical tool in up to six degrees of freedom. The manipulator has a haptic interface and an associated position sensing system. A controller is provided that can be used to adjust movement information from the haptic interface based on the relative orientations of the manipulator and the haptic interface.

Surgical manipulator

The present invention provides a surgical manipulator which capable of manipulating a surgical or medical tool in up to six degrees of freedom. The manipulator has a relatively lightweight, compact design as a result of the use of high force to mass ratio actuators. The manipulator includes a mounting fixture which permits the manipulator to be fixed relative to a portion of a body of a patient.

A surgical manipulator ( ) can manipulate a medical tool ( ) with one or more degrees of freedom. In preferred embodiments, the manipulator ( ) is a parallel mechanism including a plurality of arms ( ) pivotally supporting a medical tool ( ), with the orientation of the medical tool ( ) being adjusted by varying the position of joints ( ) mounted on the arms ( ). The motions of the joints ( ) can be controlled such that the tool ( ) is pivoted about a virtual pivot point located within the body wall of a patient ( ). The manipulator ( ) can enhance the dexterity of an operator and enable the operator to perform medical procedures more easily than by hand.

A manipulator for producing a remote center of revolute motion is provided. The manipulator includes a base and a first parallelogram linkage mechanism including a first link pivotally mounted to the base for rotation about a first axis such that the first link moves in a first plane. The manipulator also includes a second parallelogram linkage mechanism including a second link pivotally mounted to the base for rotation about a second axis such that the second link moves in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The first link is pivotal about a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and the second link is pivotal about a fourth axis perpendicular to the second axis. The first and second parallelogram linkages are pivotally connected together by a first connector link and a second connector link. The first and second connector links are parallel to each other and parallel to the first and second axes such that the first and second planes remain parallel as the first and second links respectively rotate about the third and fourth axes. A tool holder is pivotally connected to the first connector link by a first pivot joint and pivotally connected to the second connector link by a second pivot joint such that a tool held therein is pivotable at a remote virtual pivot point about a first remote pivot axis by pivoting the first and second links respectively about the first and second axes and a second remote pivot axis by pivoting the first and second links respectively about the third and fourth axes.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Forest, CA, United States of America

J Michael Stuart