Guide apparatus for delivery of an elongate device and methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938281-B2
Application number	US-202117330693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2021
Priority date	Jul 8, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus for guiding an elongated flexible instrument comprises a variable-length support assembly. The variable-length support assembly includes a first end, a second end, a plurality of support member pairs, and a plurality of eyelets configured to receive the elongated flexible instrument. Each support member pair comprises a first support member linked to a second support member, and each of the plurality of eyelets is movably coupled to at least one of the plurality of support member pairs along a longitudinal central axis between the first end and the second end. The variable-length support assembly is configured to selectively transition from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration along the longitudinal central axis, and the plurality of eyelets are adapted to support the elongated flexible instrument as the elongated flexible instrument is advanced along the longitudinal central axis. Each of the plurality of eyelets includes a tapered alignment member configured to contact a tapered alignment member of an adjacent eyelet to move the plurality of eyelets into alignment along the longitudinal axis as the variable length assembly transitions from the expanded configuration to the compressed configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for guiding an elongated flexible instrument, the apparatus comprising:
a variable-length support assembly including:
a first end;
a second end;
a plurality of support member pairs, each support member pair comprising a first support member linked to a second support member; and
a plurality of eyelets configured to receive the elongated flexible instrument, each of the plurality of eyelets movably coupled to at least one of the support member pairs along a longitudinal central axis between the first end and the second end;

a proximal coupler at the first end of the variable-length support assembly, the proximal coupler configured to couple the variable-length support assembly to an instrument interface portion; and
a proximal arm synchronizing assembly for stabilizing a connection between the proximal coupler and the variable-length support assembly, the proximal arm synchronizing assembly comprising at least one pair of gears, at least one gear of each pair of gears comprising teeth and a guard extending over the teeth;
wherein the variable-length support assembly is configured to selectively transition from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration along the longitudinal central axis, and wherein the plurality of eyelets are adapted to support the elongated flexible instrument as the elongated flexible instrument is advanced along the longitudinal central axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of gears of the proximal arm synchronizing assembly comprises at least two pairs of gears.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first support member includes an upper support portion, an interior support portion, and a lower support portion, wherein the upper support portion extends through the interior support portion to couple to the lower support portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lower support portion extends past the interior support portion to couple to the upper support portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein adjacent support member pairs are connected to each other by outer hinges.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the outer hinges comprise living hinges extending between the adjacent support member pairs.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the proximal coupler includes a proximal aperture sized to receive the elongated flexible instrument, wherein the proximal aperture is aligned with the plurality of eyelets along the longitudinal central axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a retaining assembly coupled to the proximal coupler, the retaining assembly configured to selectively retain the variable-length support assembly in a compressed configuration.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising an attachment element at a distal end of the variable-length support assembly, wherein the retaining assembly selectively engages the attachment element to retain the variable-length support assembly in the compressed configuration.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a distal coupler at the second end of the variable-length support assembly, the distal coupler configured to couple the variable-length support assembly to an anchor in a surgical field.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, each eyelet of the plurality of eyelets includes a tapered alignment member and for each eyelet of the plurality of eyelets, the first and second support members of the at least one of the plurality of support member pairs include indentations having a corresponding shape to the tapered alignment member, wherein the tapered alignment member is interposed between the indentations of the first and second support members when the variable-length support assembly assumes the compressed configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a torsion spring extending between each eyelet of the plurality of eyelets and respective first and second support members of the plurality of support member pairs.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of magnets coupled to a set of adjacent eyelets and positioned between the adjacent eyelets.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the pair of magnets comprises a first magnet coupled to a first eyelet of the set of adjacent eyelets and a second magnet coupled to a second eyelet of the set of adjacent eyelets, the first magnet having an opposite polarity of the second magnet.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a spring flexure extending between each eyelet and the first and second support members.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a distal arm synchronizing assembly comprising at least one set of gears.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:
a distal coupler at the second end of the variable-length support assembly, the distal coupler configured to couple the variable-length support assembly to an anchor in a surgical field with the distal arm synchronizing assembly disposed between the distal coupler and the plurality of support member pairs.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the teeth are only along a partial circumference of the at least one gear of each pair of gears.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each gear of the at least one pair of gears is shaped as a wedge.

20. An apparatus, for guiding an elongated flexible instrument, the apparatus comprising:
a variable-length support assembly including:
a first end;
a second end;
a plurality of support member pairs, each support member pair comprising a first support member linked to a second support member; and
a plurality of eyelets configured to receive the elongated flexible instrument, each of the plurality of eyelets movably coupled to at least one of the support member pairs along a longitudinal central axis between the first end and the second end;

a proximal coupler at the first end of the variable-length support assembly, the proximal coupler configured to couple the variable-length support assembly to an instrument interface portion; and
a proximal arm synchronizing assembly for stabilizing a connection between the proximal coupler and the variable-length support assembly, wherein the proximal arm synchronizing assembly includes a set of cables to equally actuate the first and second support members relative to the longitudinal central axis and relative to each other,
wherein the variable-length support assembly is configured to selectively transition from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration along the longitudinal central axis, and wherein the plurality of eyelets are adapted to support the elongated flexible instrument as the elongated flexible instrument is advanced along the longitudinal central axis.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the proximal arm synchronizing assembly includes a pair of spools and the set of cables is wound in opposing S-shapes about the pair of spool to equally actuate the first and second support members relative to the longitudinal central axis and relative to each other.

22. An apparatus for guiding an elongated flexible instrument, the apparatus comprising:
a variable-length support assembly including:
a first end;
a second end;
a plurality of support member pairs, each support member pair comprising a first support member linked to a second support member; and
a plurality of eyelets configured to receive the elongated flexible instrument, each of the plurality of eyelets movably coupled to at least one o

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Inouye Matthew D
• Bailey David W
• Blumenkranz Stephen J
• Rohr Daniel Matthew D

Classifications

• A61M25/01 Primary

  Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters (A61M25/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B34/20

  Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis · CPC title

• A61B34/30 Primary

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B34/35 Primary

  for telesurgery · CPC title

• A61B34/71

  Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms · CPC title