Vanderbilt University

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Philip Joseph Swaney

Robert J Webster, Iii

Richard Joseph Hendrick

Ray Adams Lathrop

Hunter Bryant Gilbert

Arthur William Mahoney

Ron Alterovitz

Trevor L Bruns

Kyle Weaver

S Duke Herrell

Bryan Irby Hartley

Richard Harry Feins

Erik Lamers

Robert James Webster

Stanley Duke Herrell

David B Comber

Andria Annette Remirez

Alan David Kuntz

Paul T Russell

Luis Guillermo Torres

Jessica Burgner

A steerable surgical needle () includes an elongated needle shaft (), a beveled tip portion (), and a flexural element () that connects the needle shaft () with the tip portion () and permits the tip portion to deflect relative to the needle shaft. A method for steering the surgical needle () through tissue includes the steps of advancing the needle in the body tissue to induce tip flexure which causes the needle to follow a curved trajectory, and rotating the needle about its longitudinal axis in place, without advancement, to remove the tip flexure.

Steerable surgical needle

Systems for controlling concentric tube probes are disclosed. In some examples, the system includes a concentric tube position display interface and a control system. The concentric tube display interface includes a display for displaying visual feedback to a user indicating a position (and possibly orientation) of a tip of a concentric tube probe and a user input device for receiving user input from the user designating a goal position (and possibly orientation) for the tip of the concentric tube probe. The control system is configured for interactive-rate motion planning of the concentric tube probe by creating, in real-time or near real-time, a motion plan to move the tip of the concentric tube probe to the goal position (and possibly orientation) while avoiding contact by the concentric tube probe with one or more obstacles and for configuring the concentric tube probe as specified by the motion plan.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for controlling a concentric tube probe

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for transoral lung access. In some examples, the system includes a bronchoscope, a concentric tube probe deployable from within the bronchoscope, and a steerable needle nested deployable from within the concentric tube probe. The system can include a control system for deploying the concentric tube probe from the bronchoscope into a lung to a location where a target is within a range of the steerable needle and for deploying the steerable needle from the location to the target.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for transoral lung access

The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for implementing a method for identifying tube parameters of a curved tube of an active cannula for operating on a target in a patient. The method includes the step (a) of acquiring a model of the patient anatomy including the target. The method also includes the step (b) of selecting a set of parameters characterizing a curved tube. The method also includes the step (c) of computing a workspace for an active cannula having the selected curved tube parameters. The method also includes the step (d) of comparing the workspace to the anatomical model to determine the degree to which an active cannula having the selected curved tube parameters covers the target. The method also includes the step (e) of repeating steps (b) through (d) through a defined number of curved tube parameter sets. The method also includes the step (f) of identifying the curved tube parameters that provide an active cannula with an optimal degree of target coverage.

System, method, and apparatus for configuration, design, and operation of an active cannula robot

A robotic surgical apparatus includes at least two tubes having a nested, concentric configuration with an inner tube positioned in an outer tube. The tubes are configured to deliver surgical therapy. A first tube carrier connected to the outer tube and a second tube carrier connected to the inner tube. The first tube carrier and its associated outer tube and the second tube carrier and its associated inner tube form a robotic arm assembly. An actuator for actuating the robotic arm assembly is configured to receive the robotic arm assembly via a tube insertion interface into which the robotic arm assembly can be inserted.

Concentric tube robot

A surgical robot system includes a support structure for positioning relative to a patient. The support structure includes a plurality of mounting structures. One or more robotic tool cassettes that are configured to interchangeably connect with any of the mounting structures. Each tool cassette includes a concentric tube manipulator and a transmission for operating the concentric tube manipulator. The support structure also includes a tube collector including a tube assembly associated with each of the mounting structures. The tube assemblies are configured to receive the concentric tube manipulators and guide the manipulators to extend along predetermined trajectories relative to each other.

Modular sterilizable robotic system for endonasal surgery

An apparatus () for performing endoscopic surgery on a patient () includes at least two concentric tube manipulators () adapted to carry devices () for performing a surgical operation. A transmission () operates the concentric tube manipulators (). An endoscope tube () has a proximal end portion fixed to the transmission (). The concentric tube manipulators () extend from the transmission () through an inner lumen () of the endoscope tube () and are operable to extend from a distal end () of the endoscope tube.

System and method for endoscopic deployment of robotic concentric tube manipulators for performing surgery

Growing community of inventors

Nashville, TN, United States of America

Philip Joseph Swaney