US 9,283,043 B2Granted

Apparatus, system, and method for robotic microsurgery

AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California

InventorsTsu-Chin Tsao, Steven D. Schwartz, Jean-Pierre Hubschman, Jason T. Wilson, Stephen W. Prince, Jean-Louis Bourges

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Abstract

A system for microsurgery includes a first assembly and a second assembly, each including: (1) a planar remote center of motion (RCM) device configured to constrain motion of a surgical instrument attached to the planar RCM device such that an axis of the surgical instrument passes through the RCM while remaining in a planar region defined based on a rotational orientation of the planar RCM device; and (2) a rotational device attached to the planar RCM device and configured such that an axis of rotation of the rotational device passes through the remote center of motion. The rotational orientation of the planar RCM device is defined about the axis of rotation. The first assembly and the second assembly are configured to be positioned such that a distance between the remote centers of motion of the first assembly and the second assembly is no greater than two centimeters.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A system for microsurgery comprising:

a first assembly and a second assembly, each including:
a planar remote center of motion device configured to constrain motion of a surgical instrument attached to the planar remote center of motion device such that an axis of the surgical instrument passes through a remote center of motion while remaining in a planar region defined based on a rotational orientation of the planar remote center of motion device;
and
a rotational device attached to the planar remote center of motion device and configured such that an axis of rotation of the rotational device passes through the remote center of motion, wherein the rotational orientation of the planar remote center of motion device is defined about the axis of rotation;
wherein the first assembly and the second assembly are configured to be positioned such that the remote center of motion of the first assembly and the remote center of motion of the second assembly are maintained spatially separate, and a distance between the remote center of motion of the first assembly and the remote center of motion of the second assembly is no greater than two centimeters,
wherein the first assembly is configured to be positioned adjacent to the second assembly such that at least a portion of the rotational device of the first assembly is offset from the axis of rotation of the rotational device of the first assembly,
wherein:
the rotational device of the second assembly includes a motor having a diameter greater than the distance between the remote center of motion of the first assembly and the remote center of motion of the second assembly;
and
the at least a portion of the rotational device of the first assembly includes a shaft, wherein the shaft is offset to accommodate the motor.

7 more elements

A method of controlling motion of surgical instruments, comprising:

positioning a first device and a second device such that a first remote center of motion associated with the first device and a second remote center of motion associated with the second device are maintained as spatially separate and in close proximity for microsurgery;
attaching a first surgical instrument to the first device, wherein the first device constrains motion of the first surgical instrument such that an axis of the first surgical instrument passes through the first remote center of motion;
attaching a second surgical instrument to the second device, wherein the second device constrains motion of the second surgical instrument such that an axis of the second surgical instrument passes through the second remote center of motion;
and
rotating the first device and the second device, while maintaining spatial separation between the first device and the second device and between the first surgical instrument and the second surgical instrument based on a first rotational orientation of the first device and a second rotational orientation of the second device, wherein:
the first device includes a first portion having a diameter greater than a distance between the first remote center of motion and the second remote center of motion;
and
the second device includes a second portion that is offset to clear the first portion of the first device.

5 more elements

A method of controlling motion of surgical instruments, comprising:

positioning a first device and a second device such that a first remote center of motion associated with the first device and a second remote center of motion associated with the second device are maintained as spatially separate and in close proximity for microsurgery;
attaching a first surgical instrument to the first device, wherein the first device constrains motion of the first surgical instrument such that an axis of the first surgical instrument passes through the first remote center of motion;
attaching a second surgical instrument to the second device, wherein the second device constrains motion of the second surgical instrument such that an axis of the second surgical instrument passes through the second remote center of motion;
and
rotating the first device and the second device, while maintaining spatial separation between the first device and the second device and between the first surgical instrument and the second surgical instrument based on a first rotational orientation of the first device and a second rotational orientation of the second device, wherein positioning the first device and the second device includes maintaining a distance of no greater than two centimeters between the first remote center of motion associated with the first device and the second remote center of motion associated with the second device.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/522,313Filed 14 Jan 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 14 Jan 2010
Published: US 2013/0123798 A116 May 2013
Granted: 15 Mar 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

A61B 90/10
Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00,…
A61B 90/11
For stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis: with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
A61B 34/10
Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery: computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical…
A61B 34/70
Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery: manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery