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US 12,629,171 B2Granted
Lubricated medical instrument guide
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorStephen J. Blumenkranz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A medical device includes a medical instrument guide. The medical instrument guide includes a guide body. The guide body includes a foam and a bore through the foam. The foam includes a plurality of open cells that hold a biocompatible lubricant. And, the bore is sized to receive a medical instrument shaft and is defined at least in part by a surface exposing the plurality of open cells holding the biocompatible lubricant to the medical instrument shaft.
Claims18
A medical device comprising:
- a medical instrument guide;
- wherein the medical instrument guide includes a guide body;
- wherein the guide body includes a foam and a bore through the foam;
- wherein the foam includes a plurality of open cells;
- wherein the plurality of open cells holds a biocompatible lubricant;
- and
- wherein the bore is sized to receive a medical instrument shaft and is defined at least in part by a surface exposing the plurality of open cells holding the biocompatible lubricant to the medical instrument shaft;
- wherein:
- the foam includes a second plurality of open cells:
- the second plurality of open cells holds a disinfectant, and the bore is defined at least in part by a second surface exposing the second plurality of open cells holding the disinfectant to the medical instrument shaft.
7 more elements
A medical system comprising:
- a teleoperated medical instrument including a shaft;
- and
- means for guiding the shaft of the medical instrument as the medical instrument is inserted into and retracted from a body cavity of a patient;
- wherein the means for guiding includes means for lubricating the shaft of the medical instrument as the shaft moves through the means for guiding, and
- wherein the means for lubricating includes a foam with a plurality of open cells that holds a biocompatible lubricant and a bore through the foam that is sized to receive the shaft of the medical instrument and is defined at least in part by a surface exposing the plurality of open cells holding the biocompatible lubricant to the shaft of the medical instrument, and
- wherein the foam includes a second plurality of open cells, the second plurality of open cells holding a disinfectant, and the bore being defined at least in part by a second surface exposing the second plurality of open cells holding the disinfectant to the medical instrument shaft.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.