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US 2020/0046943 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for computer-vision guided targeted delivery of small liquid volumes into selected lung regions
AssigneeThe Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
InventorsGordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Jinho Kim, John O'Neill, Matthew Bacchetta
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a computer-vision based autonomous steerable catheter device and methods of using the same for targeted delivery of a liquid microvolume into the interior of a lung.
Claims20
A steerable catheter device comprising:
- an elongate tubular member having a proximal section, distal section and an inner lumen defined there between,
- a plurality of guide members disposed circumferentially about the elongate tubular member in spaced apart arrangement extending from the proximal section of the elongate tubular member,
- a steering mechanism radially offset from the inner lumen,
- wherein the steering mechanism comprises two or more pulling wires arranged along the elongate tubular member length and independently passing through the plurality of guide members;
- and
- a controller disposed at an end of the proximate section of the elongate tubular member and operatively engaged to the steering mechanism,
- wherein the controller is adapted to selectively increase tension force independently to each of the pulling wires of the steering mechanism.
4 more elements
A method for targeted delivery of a liquid microvolume into a lung, comprising positioning a catheter into a pulmonary airway of a lung, wherein the catheter comprises a distal section with a distal tip and an inner lumen;
- steering the distal section of the catheter to position the distal tip proximal to a desired locus within the pulmonary airway, and instilling a liquid microvolume from the inner lumen of the catheter to an inner surface of the pulmonary airway.
A method of navigating a catheter, comprising:
- obtaining CT scan images of a lung having a target site;
- generating a three dimensional reconstructed airway model based on the CT scan images, thereby providing a navigation path to the target site;
- and
- maneuvering a catheter to enter a target airway, wherein the target airway is based on the navigation path provided by the three dimensional reconstructed airway model.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.