Robotic surgical system with contact sensing feature

A method of monitoring contact between a probe and a tissue surface, the probe including a sensor at a distal end thereof, the method comprising:

• navigating the probe into a body of a patient;
• moving the probe within the body using a calibrated system;
• monitoring a tissue parameter using the sensor at the distal end of the probe for an indicator of proximity or degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface;
• and
• reporting a change in proximity or degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface based upon the monitored tissue parameter.

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;
• a sensor carried on said probe for measuring a parameter of a tissue surface;
• 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 change in the parameter between successive measurements thereof.

A surgical system, comprising:

• a probe for introduction into a body of a patient;
• a locally-calibrated system to move said probe within the body of the patient;
• a sensor carried on said probe for measuring a parameter of a tissue surface;
• 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 between successive measurements thereof.