Complex shape steerable tissue visualization and manipulation catheter
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsRuey-Feng Peh, Vahid Saadat, Christopher A. Rothe
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Abstract
Complex steerable catheter visualization and tissue manipulation systems and their methods of use are disclosed herein. The deployment catheter is articulated using various steering mechanisms. Tissue visualization is accomplished from the visualization hood at the distal end of the deployment catheter, the hood having an ability to expand and other features to facilitate visualization and articulation at the tissue surface.
Claims20
An apparatus for accessing a tissue surface in a region of a body, the apparatus comprising:
- a flexible deployment catheter having a proximal steerable section and a distal steerable section;
- a fluid barrier attached to a distal end of the distal steerable section and configurable between a delivery profile and an deployment profile, the fluid barrier defining an open area when configured in the deployment profile, the fluid barrier positionable within the region of the body such that the open area is in fluid communication with a lumen defined through the catheter and with an environment within the region of the body and external to the fluid barrier;
- an expandable distal membrane directly and fixedly attached to the fluid barrier around an exterior circumference of the fluid barrier distal to the distal steerable section and extending from a distal end of the fluid barrier and terminating at a proximal end of the fluid barrier;
- and
- an imaging element positioned within a space between the fluid barrier and the expandable distal membrane.
A method for accessing a tissue surface in a region of a body, the method comprising:
- guiding a flexible deployment catheter, having a proximal steerable section and a distal steerable section, toward the tissue surface;
- deploying a fluid barrier attached to a distal end of the distal steerable section from a delivery profile to a deployment profile, the fluid barrier defining an open area in the deployment profile, the open area in fluid communication with a lumen defined through the catheter and with an environment within the region of the body and external to the fluid barrier;
- and
- expanding an expandable distal membrane directly and fixedly attached to the fluid barrier around an exterior circumference of the fluid barrier distal to the distal steerable section and extending from a distal end of the fluid barrier and terminating at a proximal end of the fluid barrier;
- and
- imaging tissue through the expandable distal membrane with an imaging element positioned between the expandable distal membrane and the fluid barrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.