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US 2017/0303990 A1Published application
Arthroscopic devices and methods
AssigneeRELIGN Corporation
InventorsSteffan Benamou, Aaron Germain, Michael D. Walker, Simon Malkevich, Jacob Tonkel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An arthroscopic or other surgical system includes a handpiece and a probe. The handpiece carries a motor drive, and the probe has a proximal hub and an elongate shaft which extends about a longitudinal axis to a working end of the probe. The hub is configured for detachably coupling to the handpiece, and the motor drive is configured to couple to a rotating drive coupling in the hub when the hub is coupled to the handpiece. A first magnetic component is carried by the hub, and a second magnetic component is coupled to rotate with the rotating drive coupling.
Claims34
An arthroscopic system, comprising:
- a handpiece with a motor drive;
- a probe with a proximal hub and elongate shaft extending about an axis to a working end, the hub configured for detachable coupling to the handpiece, wherein the motor drive is configured to couple to a rotating drive coupling in the hub when the hub is coupled to the handpiece;
- and
- a first magnet component carried by the hub;
- and
- a second magnet component coupled to rotate with the rotating drive coupling.
3 more elements
A method in an arthroscopic procedure, comprising:
- providing a system including (1) a handpiece with a sensor and (2) a probe with a proximal hub, a longitudinal axis, and a working end, wherein the hub carries first and second magnets having North and South poles;
- selectively coupling the hub of the probe to the handpiece with the working end of the probe in either an upward orientation or a downward orientation, wherein the first magnet is proximate the sensor when the working end is in the upward orientation and the second magnet is proximate the sensor then the working end is in the downward orientation;
- and
- sensing with the sensor a North pole or a South pole of the magnet proximate the sensor to identify whether the working end is in said upward or downward orientation.
1 more element
A method in an arthroscopic procedure, comprising:
- providing a system including (1) a handpiece with a sensor and (2) a probe with a proximal hub, a longitudinal axis, and a working end, wherein the hub carries first and second magnets of similar strengths having North and South poles;
- coupling the hub to the handpiece;
- and
- using a sensor in the handpiece to sense a strength of either of the magnets in the hub to thereby identify the probe type based on the sensed strength.
1 more element
A method in an arthroscopic procedure, comprising:
- providing a system including (1) a handpiece with a motor drive and (2) a probe with a proximal hub, a longitudinal axis, a rotating drive coupling, and a working end, wherein the rotating drive coupling carries first and second magnets with North and South poles positioned differently relative to said axis;
- attaching the hub to the handpiece to couple the motor drive to the rotating drive coupling in the hub which actuates a motor-driven component in the working end;
- activating the motor drive to rotate the drive coupling and actuate the motor-driven component;
- sensing varying magnet parameters with a sensor in the handpiece as the drive coupling rotates and generating sensor signals;
- determining a rotational position of the drive coupling and the corresponding position of the motor-driven component using a positioning algorithm responsive to the sensor signals;
- and
- de-activating the motor drive at a selected rotational position of the drive coupling;
- and
- dynamically braking the motor drive to thereby stop rotation of the drive coupling and stop movement the motor-driven component in a selected stop position.
6 more elements
A method in an arthroscopic procedure, comprising:
- providing a system including (1) handpiece with a motor drive and (2) a probe with a proximal hub and elongate shaft extending about an axis to a working end, the hub configured for detachable coupling to the handpiece, wherein the motor drive is configured to couple to a rotating drive coupling in the hub and wherein the drive coupling carries first and second magnets with North and South poles positioned differently relative to said axis;
- coupling the hub to the handpiece;
- activating the motor drive to rotate the drive coupling and magnets at least 180°;
- sensing the varying strength of each magnet with a sensor in handpiece sensor as the drive coupling rotates;
- and
- calibrating a rotational position of the drive coupling responsive to the varying strength of each magnet to thereby increase accuracy in calculating the sensed strength of the magnets.
3 more elements
A method in an arthroscopic procedure, comprising:
- providing a handpiece with a motor drive, and a probe with a proximal hub and elongate shaft extending about an axis to a working end having a motor-driven component that includes an RF electrode, the hub configured for detachable coupling to the handpiece, wherein the motor drive is configured to couple to a rotating drive coupling in the hub, and wherein the rotating drive coupling carries first and second magnets with North and South poles positioned differently relative to said axis;
- coupling the hub to the handpiece;
- positioning the drive coupling and motor-driven component in a selected stop position;
- introducing the RF electrode into an interface with tissue;
- delivering RF current to the RF electrode;
- and
- using a positioning algorithm responsive to sensor signals to continuously monitor the rotational position of the drive coupling and corresponding position of the motor-driven component and RF electrode during the step of delivering RF current.
4 more elements
A method in an arthroscopic procedure, comprising:
- providing a handpiece with a motor drive, and a probe with a proximal hub and elongate shaft extending about an axis to a working end having a motor-driven component that includes an RF electrode, the hub configured for detachable coupling to the handpiece, wherein the motor drive is configured to couple to a rotating drive coupling in the hub, and wherein the rotating drive coupling carries first and second magnets with North and South poles positioned differently relative to said axis;
- coupling the hub to the handpiece;
- positioning the drive coupling and motor-driven component in a selected stop position;
- introducing the RF electrode into an interface with tissue;
- delivering RF current to the RF electrode;
- and
- using a positioning algorithm responsive to sensor signals indicating the rotational position of the drive coupling to oscillate the RF electrode at a rate ranging from 20 Hz to 2,000 Hz.
4 more elements
A method for providing information from a surgical probe to a controller, said method comprising:
- attaching a hub of the probe to a handpiece connected to the controller, wherein the hub carries indicia;
- reading a first set of indicia on the hub using a first sensor on the handpiece and sending a first set of data to the controller;
- and
- reading a second set of indicia on the hub using a second sensor on the handpiece and sending a second set of data to the controller;
- wherein the first set of data includes at least one of probe identification information and probe orientation information;
- and
- wherein the second set of data includes at least probe operational information.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.