Robotically-assisted delivery and positioning of magnetic implants for forming an anastomosis

A method for forming an anastomosis between two adjacent walls of a digestive tract of a patient with a robotic positioning system, the method comprising:

• robotically navigating a first magnetic implant into a first hollow organ of the digestive tract to a first location on one side of a desired anastomose site;
• robotically navigating a second magnetic implant into a second hollow organ of the digestive tract to a second location on another side of the desired anastomose site;
• robotically adjusting a positioning of at least one of the first and second magnetic implants, comprising:
• magnetically coupling, through one of the two adjacent walls, at least one of the first and second magnetic implants with a distal tip moveably engaged with a distal end of an elongated member of a positioning wand, the positioning wand being operatively engaged with a robotic arm of the robotic positioning system;
• surfing the distal tip onto an outer surface of the one of two adjacent walls to translate the at least one of the first and second magnetic implants, the distal tip being movable relative to a distal end of the elongated member in response to a contact pressure upon contact with the outer surface of the one of two adjacent walls;
• and
• magnetically coupling the first and second magnetic implants to each other through the two adjacent vessel walls of the digestive tract to compress a portion of the two adjacent walls therebetween and form a necrotic area during a healing time period.

A method for positioning at least one of first and second magnetic implants configured for forming an anastomosis at a target site between two adjacent walls of a digestive tract of a patient, the method comprising:

• deploying the first magnetic implant into a first hollow organ lumen of the digestive tract;
• deploying the second magnetic implant into a second hollow organ lumen of the digestive tract;
• robotically inserting a distal tip and at least a portion of an elongated member of a positioning wand into an abdominal cavity of the patient, the distal tip being movably engaged with a distal end of the elongated member and comprising a guide magnet;
• magnetically coupling the distal tip of the positioning wand with the second magnetic implant;
• and
• robotically surfing the distal tip onto an outer surface of the second hollow organ while maintaining the magnetic coupling with the second magnetic implant to translate the second magnetic implant and bring the second magnetic implant in close proximity with the first magnetic implant to magnetically couple the first magnetic implant with the second magnetic implant.

A robotic positioning system for positioning at least one of first and second magnetic implants configured for forming an anastomosis at a target site between two adjacent walls of a digestive tract of a patient, the robotic positioning system comprising:

• a positioning wand comprising:
• an elongated member sized and configured to have at least a portion thereof to be inserted laparoscopically into an abdominal cavity of a patient;
• and
• a distal tip provided at a distal end of the elongated member and comprising a guide magnet configured to magnetically couple with the at least one of the first and second magnetic implants through one of the two adjacent walls, the distal tip being configured to surf onto an outer surface of the one of the two adjacent walls and be moveable in response to a contact pressure upon contact therewith to translate the at least one of the first and second magnetic implants to a desired site of the anastomosis via the robotic arm;
• and
• a robotic arm engageable with the positioning wand to impart movement on the distal tip to enable said surfing onto the outer surface of the one of the two adjacent walls.