9425results about "Surgical robots" patented technology

The invention is directed to an apparatus for use in a transluminal procedure. The apparatus, comprising, for example, a housing having a guide lumen and a seal proximal to a distal end of the housing that extends across and completely seals the guide lumen; a fixation element in the housing and adapted to secure the distal end of the housing to tissue; and a channel extending through the side wall of the housing having an outlet in communication with the lumen distal of the seal. Methods are also provided. For example, a method includes, performing a transluminal procedure by: securing a datum and position indicator to a wall of a target lumen; forming an opening in the wall; advancing an instrument through the opening; and tracking the advancement of the instrument using the datum and position indicator.

A surgical instrument for use with a robotic surgical system is described. The instrument includes an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. An electrically live wrist member is disposed at the distal end of the shaft. An electrocautery end effector is mounted to the wrist member. An interface is disposed at the proximal end of the shaft. The interface is removably connectable to the robotic surgical system. A conductor extends from the interface to the end effector so as to deliver electrical energy to tissue engaged by the end effector. A tip cover is disposed over the wrist member so that electrical current can only be conducted to tissues through the exposed end effector (e.g., to promote blood coagulation during usage) and not to other parts of the patient's body.

An electro-mechanical surgical device includes: a housing; an elongated shaft extending from the housing, a distal end of the elongated shaft being detachably coupleable to a surgical instrument; at least two axially rotatable drive shafts disposed within the elongated shaft, a distal end of each of the drive shafts being configured to couple with the surgical instrument; a steering cable arrangement, the steering cable arrangement being configured to steer the distal end of the elongated shaft; and a motor system disposed within the housing, the motor system being configured to drive the drive shafts and the steering cable arrangement. A control system may be provided for controlling the motor system. A remote control unit may also be provided for controlling the motor system via the control system. Sensors, such as optical or Hall-effect devices, may be provided for determining the position of the elements of the surgical instrument based on the detected rotation of the drive shafts. A memory unit stores a plurality of operating programs or algorithms, each corresponding to a type of surgical instrument attachable to the electro-mechanical surgical device. The control system reads or selects from the plurality of operating programs or algorithms, the operating program or algorithm corresponding to the type of surgical instrument attached to the electro-mechanical surgical device.

The invention relates to an instrument for surgery, in particular minimally invasive surgery. The instrument includes means for feeding back a force which is exerted on the working element of the instrument to the operating element. These means include at least a first force sensor for measuring the force which is exerted on the working element, a control unit and a first actuator. On the basis of a signal which originates from the first force sensor, the control unit controls at least the first actuator in order to control the operating element. Furthermore, the means preferably include a first position sensor for measuring a position of the working element with respect to the frame. The control unit advantageously determines an impedance which the working element is subject to as a result of the presence of a tissue or the like, on the basis of which impedance the control unit controls at least the first actuator.

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for a robotic system is disclosed to track one or more robotic instruments. The method includes generating kinematics information for the robotic instrument within a field of view of a camera; capturing image information in the field of view of the camera; and adaptively fusing the kinematics information and the image information together to determine pose information of the robotic instrument. Additionally disclosed is a robotic medical system with a tool tracking sub-system. The tool tracking sub-system receives raw kinematics information and video image information of the robotic instrument to generate corrected kinematics information for the robotic instrument by adaptively fusing the raw kinematics information and the video image information together.