Catheter with removable vision probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9452276-B2
Application number	US-201113274208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2011
Priority date	Oct 14, 2011
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A medical system includes a catheter and a vision probe that can be removed from the catheter and replaced with a medical probe. The vision probe can thus be used to steer and pose the catheter, and then be removed and replaced with the medical probe when a medical task such as a lung biopsy is performed. A sensor system in the catheter at least partly measures a pose of the catheter, and control logic controls actuation of the catheter to maintain the desired working configuration when the medical probe is used. A small diameter catheter can thus provide vision and biopsy functionality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical system comprising:
a catheter having a main lumen and a mechanical system, wherein the mechanical system is connected to control a pose of a steerable distal tip of the catheter, the pose including a position and orientation of the steerable distal tip of the catheter;
a sensor system coupled to the catheter to generate measurement signals associated with the catheter; and
a control system coupled to the sensor system to receive measurement signals and coupled to the mechanical system to control the catheter, wherein the control system is operable to identify a desired working configuration of the distal tip while an imaging device is deployed in the main lumen for obtaining images and providing the obtained images to an operator interface, wherein the desired working configuration comprises a desired pose of the distal tip of the catheter, the desired pose comprising a desired position and a desired orientation of the distal tip, and the control system is further operable to receive orientation information about the distal tip from the measurement signals generated by the sensor system when the imaging device has been removed from the catheter, and to hold or return the distal tip of the catheter to the desired working configuration when the imaging device has been removed from the catheter and a medical probe is deployed in the main lumen.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein a distal section of the catheter has a width less than about 3 mm.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the orientation information is generated by the sensor system and comprises at least one orientation angle of the distal tip.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is operable in a plurality of modes for holding or returning the catheter to the desired working configuration.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of modes includes a position mode in which the control system operates the mechanical system to hold or return the distal tip to a target position.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of modes includes an orientation mode in which the control system operates the mechanical system to hold or return the distal tip at a target orientation.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of modes includes a target mode in which the control system operates the mechanical system to control a combination of a position and an orientation of the distal tip to point the distal tip at a target position.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of modes includes a target axial mode in which the control system operates the mechanical system to control a combination of a position and an orientation of the distal tip such that the distal tip remains on or returns to a target line.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the control system comprises a selection module operable to select and activate one of the plurality of modes.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the selection module is operable to select and activate one of the plurality of modes responsive to a user-input device that allows an operator to select a desired operating mode.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the selection module is operable to select and activate one of the plurality of modes based on a type of medical probe deployed.

12. The medical system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor of the sensor system that is configured to measure the pose of the distal tip.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control system and the sensor form a closed-loop system for monitoring of the distal tip and operating the mechanical system of the catheter.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the imaging device that is removable from the catheter, wherein the imaging device fills the main lumen when the imaging device is deployed in the catheter.

15. A method for maintaining a desired working configuration of a catheter positioned within patient anatomy, the method comprising:
using an imaging device deployed in a catheter when identifying the desired working configuration of a steerable distal tip of the catheter by a sensor system coupled to the catheter, the imaging device configured to obtain images and provide the obtained images to an operator interface, wherein the working configuration of the distal tip comprises a desired pose of the distal tip;
removing the imaging device from the catheter;
deploying a medical probe in place of the imaging device that was removed;
receiving, by a control system, position or orientation information about the distal tip from a sensor system when the imaging device is removed; and
actuating the catheter, by the control system, to maintain or return to the desired working configuration of the distal tip when a medical probe is deployed in the catheter in place of the imaging device.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising using the medical tool to perform a medical task while the vision system is removed from the catheter.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the medical task is part of a lung biopsy.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein actuating the catheter comprises holding the distal tip at or returning the distal tip to a target position.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein actuating the catheter comprises holding the distal tip at or returning the distal tip to a target orientation.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein actuating the catheter comprises controlling a combination of a position and an orientation of the distal tip to point the distal tip at a target position.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein actuating the catheter comprises controlling a combination of a position and an orientation of the distal tip such that the distal tip remains on or returns to a target line.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising relaxing the catheter while the imaging device is removed and the medical probe is deployed.

Assignees

• Duindam Vincent
• Mohr Catherine J
• Fenech Carolyn M
• Prisco Giuseppe Maria
• Au Kwok Wai Samuel
• Donhowe Caitlin Q
• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Duindam Vincent
• Mohr Catherine J
• Fenech Carolyn M
• Prisco Giuseppe Maria
• Au Kwok Wai Samuel
• Donhowe Caitlin Q

Classifications

• A61B5/06

  Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies {; Determining position of diagnostic devices within or on the body of the patient} · CPC title

• A61B2017/22074

  the instrument being only slidable in a channel, e.g. advancing optical fibre through a channel · CPC title

• A61M2025/0166

  Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided · CPC title

• A61M25/0147

  with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires · CPC title

• A61M25/0074

  Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable · CPC title