Flexible instrument

A method of remotely controlling a flexible instrument, comprising:

• providing a flexible instrument shaft having a distal end supporting a tool, the shaft further including at least one controlled flexible segment about the distal end capable of controlled bending for positioning the tool to an operative site;
• inserting the shaft into an anatomic lumen, the flexible shaft adapted to conform to the configuration of the anatomic lumen and being unsupported within any viewing endoscope;
• mechanically driving, via a drive unit, a cabling system extending through the shaft;
• and
• activating the at least one controlled flexible segment by operating the drive unit, so as to effect bending of the at least one flexible segment and thereby effect positioning of the tool to the operative site.

A flexible instrument system comprising:

• a flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end operatively connected to a tool, the shaft being insertable into an anatomic lumen of a subject so as to dispose the tool at an operative site;
• a mechanically drivable mechanism disposed at the proximal end of the shaft, the mechanically drivable mechanism capable of operating said tool via at least one flexible segment positioned along the shaft;
• a mechanical receiver supported from a fixed position adjacent the subject, for receiving and supporting the shaft via the mechanically drivable mechanism in a position to maintain the tool at the operative site;
• a computation system for receiving electrical control signals received from a user input device for controlling the shaft.

A flexible instrument system, comprising:

• a medical implement having sufficient flexibility along a length thereof so as to readily flex and conform to a pathway in an anatomic vessel as the implement is inserted therein, and an endoscopic viewing implement disposed alongside of and separate from said medical implement, the medical implement comprising:
• a tool for performing a medical procedure;
• a flexible shaft having proximal and distal ends and supporting the tool at its distal end, the shaft being insertable into a subject so as to dispose the tool at an operative site via controlled bending of at least one flexible segment positioned along the shaft;
• and
• a mechanically drivable mechanism disposed at the proximal end of the shaft;
• and
• a drive unit intercoupled with the medical implement and including;
• at least a first cable intercoupled with the tool;
• and
• at least a second cable intercoupled with the shaft for controlling a bend at the at least one flexible segment.

A flexible instrument system comprising:

• a drive unit, for controlling operation of a medical implement;
• a mechanical actuation system extending from the drive unit to the medical implement;
• a flexible guide shaft having proximal and distal ends with at least one segment thereof extending through a lumen of a subject;
• and
• a flexible viewing shaft separate from said flexible guide shaft, extending through said lumen to a target site and associated with a remotely disposed display for viewing the target site;
• the medical implement comprising;
• a flexible shaft having proximal and distal ends, the flexible shaft being insertable into a subject through said flexible guide shaft so as to dispose the distal end at an operative site, the shaft further comprising at least one controlled flexible segment for actuating a controlled bend;
• and
• a mechanically drivable mechanism disposed at a proximal end of the flexible shaft.

A robotic medical system comprising:

• a flexible guide shaft having proximal and distal ends with at least one segment thereof extending through a lumen of a subject;
• a flexible instrument shaft extending through the flexible guide shaft and having at least one flexible segment thereof that is remotely controllably bendable so as to locate a distal end of the flexible instrument shaft at an internal target site of the subject;
• a tool carried at the distal end of the flexible instrument shaft for performing a procedure at the internal target site;
• a flexible viewing shaft, having a distal end separate from said flexible instrument shaft, extending to the target site and associated with a remotely disposed display for viewing the target site;
• a master station including an input device;
• a slave station including a receiver upon which the flexible instrument shaft is mounted and for controlling movement of said flexible instrument shaft;
• and
• an electrical controller coupled between the master station and the slave station operated in accordance with a command from said input device and for controlling at least one degree-of-freedom of the flexible instrument shaft so as to replicate action at the input device.

A flexible instrument system comprising:

• a flexible instrument shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end supporting a tool, the shaft being insertable into a subject through a body lumen so as to dispose the tool at an operative site of a subject;
• a mechanically drivable mechanism disposed at the proximal end of the shaft, the mechanically drivable mechanism capable of operating said tool via at least one flexible segment positioned along the shaft;
• a flexible viewing shaft, having a distal end separate from said flexible instrument shaft, extending to the target site and associated with a remotely disposed display for viewing the target site;
• a receiver for receiving and supporting the flexible instrument shaft via the mechanically drivable mechanism in a manner to position the tool at the operative site;
• a computation system for receiving electrical control signals received from a remote user input device for controlling said at least one flexible segment of the flexible instrument shaft.

A flexible instrument system comprising:

• a drive unit, for controlling operation of a medical implement;
• a mechanical actuation system extending from the drive unit;
• and
• the medical implement having sufficient flexibility to conform to a pathway in an anatomic vessel as the implement is inserted therein, the medical implement consisting only of;
• a flexible shaft having proximal and distal ends, the flexible shaft being insertable into a subject so as to dispose the distal end at an operative site, the shaft further comprising at least one controlled flexible segment for actuating a controlled bend for controlling the disposition of a working end of said flexible shaft;
• the working end;
• and
• a mechanically drivable mechanism disposed at a proximal end of the flexible shaft operable from said mechanical actuation system to actuate the controlled bend.

A remotely controllable flexible instrument system for performing a medical procedure on a subject, comprising:

• an instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends, the shaft being insertable into an anatomic lumen of a subject so as to dispose the distal end of the instrument shaft at an internal target site;
• a shaft mount coupled to the instrument shaft at the proximal end of the instrument shaft;
• a drive unit drivably coupled to the shaft mount;
• said instrument shaft comprising an elongated flexible instrument shaft that supports a medical procedure member for performing the medical procedure at the internal target site;
• a flexible instrument guide shaft for receiving therethrough said flexible instrument shaft and constructed and arranged so that some length of the guide shaft supports the flexible instrument shaft adjacent the internal target site;
• said flexible instrument shaft constructed and arranged having at least one remotely controllable flexible segment disposed therealong and being controllably bendable so as to control the distal end of the flexible instrument shaft at the internal target site;
• an elongated flexible endoscopic viewing member having means for viewing the target site and coupled with a remotely disposed display for depicting the internal target site;
• said elongated flexible endoscopic viewing member, having a distal end being disposed alongside of and separate from said flexible instrument shaft;
• and
• a remote user interface at which a user may manipulate an input device, and an electrical controller for receiving commands from the user interface and transmitting signals to the drive unit for controlling movement of said tool to replicate input device manipulations by the user;
• said electrical controller further including a command processing program for controlling said at least one remotely controllable flexible segment and movement of the medical procedure member in accordance with manipulations of the input device by the user.

A remotely controllable instrument system comprising:

• a user interface at which a user may manipulate an input device;
• an instrument used in performing a medical procedure at a target site of a subject;
• said instrument including an elongated shaft having a tool mounted at a distal end thereof;
• a viewing endoscope shaft that is inserted into the subject for viewing the target site;
• an electrical controller for receiving commands from said user interface;
• a drive unit intercoupling the electrical controller and the instrument for controlling the instrument in accordance with input device manipulations;
• said instrument shaft being constructed and arranged so that its physical properties make at least some length thereof inherently and sufficiently deformable so as to enable it to readily pass atraumatically into an anatomic lumen of the subject;
• said instrument shaft being further constructed and arranged having at least one remotely controllable flexible segment disposed therealong and being controllably bendable so as to locate the distal end of the flexible shaft at the internal target site;
• and
• a drive unit drivably coupled to said instrument for operating said tool through said instrument shaft;
• said drive unit being operable from the input device at said user interface so as to control operation of said tool at said target site to replicate input device manipulations;
• said instrument shaft being guidable to said target site alongside of said endoscope shaft.

A method of performing a medical procedure comprising the steps of:

• providing an elongated flexible instrument member having a distal end supporting a tool, and further including at least one controlled flexible segment capable of controlled bending for positioning the tool to an operative site;
• inserting the elongated flexible instrument member through a guide tube into an anatomic lumen, the flexible instrument member and guide tube adapted to conform to the configuration of the anatomic lumen;
• mechanically driving, via an electromechanical drive unit, a cabling system that couples with the elongated flexible instrument member;
• detecting and displaying a visualization of the operative site discernable by a user;
• and
• activating the at least one controlled flexible segment by operating the drive unit from a remote user interface, so as to effect bending of the at least one flexible segment and thereby effect positioning of the tool at the operative site;
• said detecting and displaying step being controlled independent of said activating step.

A remotely controllable instrument system comprising:

• a user interface at which a user may manipulate an input device;
• an instrument used in performing a medical procedure at a target site of a subject;
• said instrument including an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a working distal end thereof;
• an electrical controller for receiving commands from said user interface;
• a drive unit intercoupling the electrical controller and the instrument for controlling the instrument in accordance with input device manipulations;
• said instrument shaft being constructed and arranged having at least one remotely controllable flexible segment disposed therealong and being controllably bendable so as to locate the distal end of the flexible shaft at the internal target site;
• and
• a drive unit drivably coupled to said instrument for operating said tool through said instrument shaft;
• said drive unit being operable from the input device at said user interface so as to control operation of said tool at said target site to replicate input device manipulations;
• at least one elongate element extending between proximal and working ends of said instrument shaft;
• an instrument coupler positioned at the proximal end of the instrument shaft;
• and
• at least one rotatable body mounted at said instrument coupler and to which said at least one elongate element is connected so that selective displacement of the rotatable body causes the selective pulling of the said at least one elongate element to control the bending motion of said flexible segment.