Robotic surgical system with contact sensing feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10863945-B2
Application number	US-64727206-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2006
Priority date	May 28, 2004
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A method of monitoring contact between a probe and a tissue surface includes placing the probe in proximity to the surface, robotically moving the probe, measuring a tissue parameter at the distal end of the probe, calculating an amount of change in the measured tissue parameter between measurements thereof, and indicating a change in proximity or degree of contact between the probe and the surface based upon the amount of change. The indication of change may be based directly upon the calculated amount of change in the measured parameter or upon a calculated rate of change in the parameter. The rate of change may be relative to the time between measurements or the distance traveled by the probe between measurements, and may be calculated as a first, second, or other derivative of the tissue parameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of monitoring contact between a probe and a tissue surface, the probe having an electrophysiology sensor at a distal end thereof, the method comprising:
placing the probe in proximity to the tissue surface;
robotically moving the probe;
measuring an electrophysiological tissue parameter at the distal end of the probe using the electrophysiology sensor, wherein the electrophysiological tissue parameter comprises phase angle;
calculating a rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter with respect to a distance traveled by the probe; and
indicating a change in proximity or degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface based upon the rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter with respect to the distance traveled by the probe.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of indicating a change in proximity or degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface based upon the rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter with respect to the distance traveled by the probe comprises:
indicating no change when the rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter falls within a pre-determined range of values; and
indicating a change when the rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter falls outside the pre-determined range of values.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the pre-determined range of values is user-selectable.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of indicating a change in proximity or degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface based upon the rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter with respect to the distance traveled by the probe comprises:
comparing the rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter to a rate of change threshold;
indicating no change when the rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter is less than the rate of change threshold; and
indicating a change when the rate of change in the measured electrophysiological tissue parameter is greater than the rate of change threshold.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the rate of change threshold is user-selectable.

6. A surgical system, comprising:
a probe for introduction into a body of a patient;
a robotically-controlled system to move said probe within the body of the patient;
an electrophysiology sensor carried on said probe for measuring a parameter of a tissue surface, wherein the parameter comprises phase angle; and
a processor programmed to monitor the parameter and indicate a change in proximity or degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface based on a rate of change in the parameter relative to a distance traveled by the probe.

Assignees

• Hauck John A
• St Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Div Inc

Inventors

• Hauck John A

Classifications

• A61B5/6885 Primary

  Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure · CPC title

• A61M25/0105

  Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning (systems for detection of markers A61B) · CPC title

• A61B2034/742

  Joysticks · CPC title

• A61B2090/3784

  both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter · CPC title

• A61B2034/301

  for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes · CPC title