2371 results about "Medical procedure" patented technology

Apparatus and methods for endoscope assemblies having working channels with reduced bending and stretching resistance are disclosed. In one embodiment, an endoscope assembly includes a sheath having a body portion adapted to at least partially encapsulate an endoscopic insertion tube, and a working channel attached to the body portion and extending along at least a portion of the body portion. The working channel includes a component for reducing the resistance of the assembly to bending and stretching. In alternate aspects, the working channel may include a cut, a gap, a sliding portion, or an expansion section. Endoscope assemblies having a working channel in accordance with the invention advantageously reduce the articulation and stretching resistance of the assembly during articulation of the endoscope assembly. Also, because the axial forces (tension and compression) within the working channel are reduced, the working channel can be fabricated out of a relatively hard, inelastic material, thereby reducing the friction within the working channel and improving the physician's ability to perform a medical procedure.

A robotic surgical system for performing minimally invasive medical procedures includes a robot manipulator for robotically assisted handling of a laparoscopic instrument having a manipulator arm, a manipulator wrist supported by the arm and an effector unit supported by the wrist, wherein the manipulator arm provides three degrees-of-freedom by means of a first joint, a second joint and a third joint, each having an associated actuator, for robotically positioning the wrist, the wrist providing two degrees-of-freedom by means of a fourth joint and a fifth revolute joint having an associated actuator, for robotically setting the yaw angle and the pitch angle of the effector unit respectively; the effector unit includes a laparoscopic instrument actuator and provides one degree-of-freedom by means of a revolute sixth joint having an associated actuator for robotically setting the roll angle of the LIA which includes a seat, with an associated coupling mechanism for mounting an instrument stem adaptor to the effector unit, and an actuation mechanism cooperating with the instrument stem adaptor for actuating a laparoscopic instrument connected to the adaptor. The effector unit is configured such that the rotation axis of the revolute sixth joint coincides with the longitudinal axis of a laparoscopic instrument mounted to the effector unit and the effector unit includes a sensor assembly having a 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) force / torque sensor and a 6 DOF accelerometer. The sensor assembly connects the LIA to the sixth revolute joint.

A medical robotic system comprises a number of components that may be monitored to determine their preventive maintenance needs by recording usage-related information for the monitored components into associated non-volatile memories. When usage of the component exceeds a specified usage threshold, the system displays a warning message on its display screen to have preventive maintenance performed for the component. If the usage continues without such maintenance and exceeds a higher usage threshold, the system displays an error message on its display screen and the system transitions into an error state during which medical procedures are not allowed to be performed. The usage-related information may also be communicated to a remote computer which gathers and processes usage-related information from a number of medical robotic systems to estimate resource requirements for timely performing preventive maintenance on the medical robotic systems, and anticipated service revenues from such maintenance.

A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient comprises conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit, intravenously introducing the catheter into a heart of the patient (e.g., via the vena cava into the right atrium), and creating a puncture within a wall between two chambers (e.g., the left and right atria) of the heart. The method further comprises creating a puncture within a wall between two chambers of the heart, and operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals to advance a working catheter within the guide catheter through the puncture.

Apparatus and methods are provided for determining in near realtime the position of a probe placed within a living body. Electric currents are driven between one or more electrodes on the probe and electrodes placed on the body surface. The impedance between the probe and each of the body surface electrodes is measured, and three-dimensional position coordinates of the probe are determined based on the impedance measurements. Dynamic compensation is provided for changing impedance of the body surface and its interface with the electrodes, resulting from such causes as electrode peel-off and changes in moisture and temperature. The compensation improves the accuracy of, inter alia, medical procedures, such as mapping the heart or performing ablation to treat cardiac arrhythmias.

Medical devices, medical procedure trays, kits and related methods are provided for use to perform medical procedures that require access to the interior of a bone. The devices, trays and methods allow multiple use of non-sterile medical devices with sterile medical devices for performing medical procedures requiring sterile conditions. A coupler assembly, capable of releasably attaching to a non-sterile medical device at one end and releasably attaching to one or more sterile medical devices at another end, and further comprising a containment bag which allows maintaining sterility of a non-sterile medical device which may be used in conjunction with sterile medical devices and procedures. The devices, trays, kits and methods enable the performance of multiple medical procedures with a single insertion into bone. For example, a vertebral procedure such as a vertebroplasty may be performed along with biopsy and / or bone marrow aspiration procedures, thereby reducing patient trauma and costs.

A system and method for discriminating tissue types, controlling the level of therapy to tissue, and determining the health or a known tissue by measuring the characteristics an electrical signal applied to conductive element located within or by the tissue. Additionally, the system and method may be used for determining whether the conductive tip of a pedicle probe or pedicle screw is located in one of cortical bone, cancellous bone, and cortical bone near a boundary with soft tissue, whether the conductive tip of a cannula is located adjacent to one of nerve tissue and annulus tissue, and whether the conductive tip of a cathode is located adjacent to one of nerve tissue and prostate gland tissue.

Suture holding devices and methods are disclosed, including devices and methods useful in performing a transoral surgical procedure, such as a posterior gastropexy procedure. A device is disclosed which can be used by a physician in a medical procedure to automatically lock and cut a suture in one motion and without the need for additional cutting instrumentation, rather than perform separate locking and cutting actions.

Methods, devices, and systems for a) revascularization and / or b) performing other medical procedures at vascular or non-vascular intracorporeal locations within a mammalian body. The methods generally comprise the formation of at least one extravascular passageway from a blood vessel to a vascular or non-vascular target location. In the revascularization methods the extravascular passageway is utilized for blood flow. In the medical procedure methods the extravascular passageway is utilized as a conduit for accessing or performing procedures at the vascular or non-vascular target location. Also disclosed are catheter devices and systems which are useable to form the extravascular passageways of the invention, as well as apparatus for modifying, maintaining and / or closing such extravascular passageways.