# US 10,863,945 B2 · Robotic surgical system with contact sensing feature > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,863,945 B2 - Document ID: US10863945B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/647,272 - Filed: 2006-12-29 - Published: 2007-08-09 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2004-05-28 - Assignees: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. - Applicants: John A. Hauck - Inventors: John A. Hauck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10863945B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/6885: {Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure} - A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/71: {Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms} - A61B 2017/00026: {Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue} - A61B 2034/105: {Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones} - A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems} - A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes} - A61B 2034/742: {Joysticks} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61B 2090/3784: {both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter} - A61M 25/0105: {Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning (systems for detection of markers A61B)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the pre-determined range of values is user-selectable. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the rate of change threshold is user-selectable. ### Claim 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.