# US 12,178,519 B2 · Depth control instrument guide for robotic surgery

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- Number: US 12,178,519 B2
- Document ID: US12178519B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/070,547
- Filed: 2020-10-14
- Published: 2021-04-22
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-18
- Assignees: MedTech S.A.
- Applicants: MedTech S.A.
- Inventors: Florian Coiseur
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178519B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
- A61B 2017/00221: {with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves}
- A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems}
- A61B 2034/2059: {Mechanical position encoders}
- A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes}
- A61B 2090/035: {preventing further rotation}
- A61B 2090/062: {penetration depth}
- A61B 2090/0808: {for indicating correct assembly of components, e.g. of the surgical apparatus}
- A61B 2090/0811: {for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An instrument holder system comprises a guide body comprising first and second ends, and a passage extending between the first and second ends along an axis to receive an instrument, and a mechanical or electro-mechanical measuring device comprising an attachment body for coupling to the guide body, a probe to extend into a trajectory of the passage to contact the instrument and generate positional data, and, optionally, a control device coupled to the probe to receive the positional data. A method of determining a position of an instrument relative to an instrument holder comprises inserting the instrument into a passage of the instrument holder, moving the instrument into contact with a sensing element, moving a tip of the instrument out of the instrument holder to cause movement of the sensing element, and correlating movements of the sensing element to distances the tip extends out of the instrument holder.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An instrument holder system comprising:
a robotic arm configured to move an end effector to predetermined locations within a three-dimensional coordinate system;
a coupler for attaching the end effector the robotic arm; and
an instrument holder comprising the end effector, the instrument holder comprising:
a guide body attached to the coupler, the guide body comprising:
a first end;
a second end; and
a first passage extending between the first and second ends along an axis to receive an instrument; and
a mechanical or electro-mechanical measuring device comprising:
an attachment body for releasably coupling to an exterior of the guide body; and
a probe configured to extend into a trajectory of the first passage to contact the instrument and generate positional data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The instrument holder system of claim 1, wherein the guide body further comprises an instrument adapter configured to adjust a size of the first passage, wherein the instrument adapter comprises:
an adapter tube configured to be inserted into the first passage of the guide body;
a second passage extending through the adapter tube to receive the instrument; and
a stop flange to prevent the adapter tube from passing through the first passage of the guide body via engagement with the first end;
wherein the first passage of the guide body and the second passage of the adapter tube are concentrically aligned; and
wherein the attachment body is attached to the second end at a bottom of the guide body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The instrument holder system of claim 1, wherein the probe comprises a wheel configured to rotate about an axle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The instrument holder system of claim 3, further comprising:
a sliding bracket coupled to the wheel, the sliding bracket being adjustable relative to the axis; and
a biasing member configured to push the sliding bracket toward the axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The instrument holder system of claim 3, wherein the probe further comprises a plurality of wheels each having an instrument contact surface, the instrument contact surfaces configured to surround the axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The instrument holder system of claim 3, wherein the wheel includes teeth.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The instrument holder system of claim 3, further comprising a motor configured to rotate the wheel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The instrument holder system of claim 3, wherein the probe further comprises a reader device configured to determine a rotational position of the wheel about the axle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The instrument holder system of claim 8, wherein:
the reader device comprises a laser, and
the wheel comprises marks configured to be read by the laser.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The instrument holder system of claim 8, wherein the reader device comprises an encoder embedded into the wheel or axle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The instrument holder system of claim 1, further comprising:
a control device coupled to the probe and configured to receive the positional data; and
a robotic arm controller configured to communicate with the control device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The instrument holder system of claim 11, further comprising a calibration module comprising:
a first portion configured to couple to the second end of the guide body; and
a plate extending from the first portion to oppose the second end of the guide body, wherein the first portion positions the plate in a path of the first passage to prevent instruments from passing through the guide body beyond the plate;
wherein the plate is located a fixed distance from the second end of the guide body so the probe can engage an instrument when extending beyond the guide body at the fixed distance, a magnitude of the fixed distance being electronically stored in the control device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The instrument holder system of claim 11, wherein the control device comprises a transmitter configured to transmit the positional data via a signal to a surgical system and the robotic arm controller is configured to convert the positional data from the control device to coordinates for the three-dimensional coordinate system of the robotic arm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The instrument holder system of claim 13, wherein the transmitter comprises a wireless signal transmitter.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The instrument holder system of claim 1, wherein the attachment body attaches to the second end of the guide body to position the probe away from an exit of the first passage in the guide body.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The instrument holder system of claim 15, wherein the guide body further comprises a flange extending from the second end and the attachment body is configured to attach to the flange.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The instrument holder system of claim 16, further comprising an instrument adapter insertable into the first end of the first passage so as to not interfere with the probe.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The instrument holder system of claim 17, further comprising a calibration module attachable to the flange.

### Claim 19

A method of determining a position of a surgical instrument relative to an instrument holder for a robotic arm, the method comprising:
attaching the instrument holder to a robotic arm using a coupler, the robotic arm movable to predetermined locations within a three-dimensional coordinate system;
inserting an instrument into a passage of the instrument holder, the instrument holder comprising:
a guide body attached to the coupler, the guide body comprising:
a first end;
a second end; and
a first passage extending between the first and second ends along an axis to receive an instrument; and
a mechanical or electro-mechanical measuring device comprising:
an attachment body for releasably coupling to an exterior of the guide body; and
a probe configured to extend into a trajectory of the first passage to contact the instrument and generate positional data;
moving the instrument into contact with the probe;
moving a tip of the instrument out of the instrument holder to cause movement of the probe; and
correlating movements of the probe to distances the tip extends out of the instrument holder.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising biasing the probe toward an axial center of the first passage.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising calibrating a zero position for the tip of the instrument relative to the instrument holder, wherein calibrating the zero position for the tip comprises engaging the tip with a plate of a calibration module disposed opposite an outlet of the instrument holder.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein correlating movements of the probe to distances the tip extends out of the instrument holder comprises reading rotation of a shaft of the probe with an encoder or reading rotation of the probe with a reader configured to identify hash marks on the probe.

### Claim 23

An instrument holder system comprising:
a guide body comprising:
a first end;
a second end; and
a first passage extending between the first and second ends along an axis to receive an instrument;
a mechanical or electro-mechanical measuring device comprising:
an attachment body for coupling to the guide body; and
a probe positioned proximate the second end of the guide body and configured to extend into a trajectory of the first passage to contact the instrument and generate positional data; and
an instrument adapter configured to adjust a size of the first passage, wherein the instrument adapter comprises:
an adapter tube configured to be inserted into the first passage of the guide body;
a second passage extending through the adapter tube to receive the instrument wherein the second passage of the instrument adapter has a smaller cross-sectional area than the first passage of the guide body; and
a stop flange to prevent the adapter tube from passing through the first passage of the guide body;
wherein the stop flange is configured to engage the first end of the guide body to position the adapter tube within the first passage spaced from the second end so as to not interfere with the probe;
wherein the first passage of the guide body and the second passage of the adapter tube are concentrically aligned.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The instrument holder system of claim 23, further comprising a plurality of instrument adapters each having a different sized second passage.