Surgical cannulas, and related systems and methods
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorJason Hemphill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method comprise positioning an electrode in conductive contact with an electrically conductive body; engaging an electrical connector operatively coupled to the electrode to an electrical connector interface of a surgical cannula; and changing a state of an electrical connector sensing device responsive to the engaging of the electrical connector and the electrical connector interface of the surgical cannula. The engaging electrically couples the electrical connector and the electrical connector interface of the surgical cannula.
Claims20
A surgical system, comprising:
- a surgical manipulator;
- a patient return electrode comprising an electrical connector and a sensible element attached to the electrical connector;
- a cannula removably mountable to the surgical manipulator and configured to permit a medical instrument to be removably inserted into and advanced through the cannula in a mounted state of the cannula to the surgical manipulator, the cannula comprising an electrical connector interface configured to removably engage with the electrical connector of the patient return electrode;
- a sensing device positioned at the surgical manipulator and arranged to sense a presence of the sensible element of the patient return electrode on a condition of an engaged state of the electrical connector with the electrical connector interface of the cannula and a mounted state of the cannula to the surgical manipulator;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the sensing device, the controller configured to:
- receive information from the sensing device,
- determine an engagement state of the electrical connector with the electrical connector interface based on the information received from the sensing device, and
- control at least one operation of the surgical system based on determining the engagement state.
A surgical system, comprising:
- a manipulator configured to removably mount a cannula, the cannula configured to permit removeable insertion of a medical instrument;
- a sensing device positioned at the manipulator, the sensing device configured to sense a presence of a sensible element of a patient return electrode;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the sensing device, the controller configured to:
- receive information from the sensing device, determine an engagement state of the patient return electrode with the cannula based on the information received from the sensing device, and control at least one operation of the surgical system based on determining the engagement state.
A method of operating a surgical system, comprising:
- in a mounted state of a cannula to a surgical manipulator:
- receiving, from a sensing device positioned at the surgical manipulator, information indicative of a sensed presence or absence of a sensible element of a patient return electrode;
- determining, based on the received information, a state of engagement of an electrical connector of the patient return electrode with an electrical connector interface of the cannula;
- and
- controlling at least one operation of the surgical system based on the determined state of engagement,
- wherein the cannula is configured to permit removable insertion of a medical instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.