The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for performing a teleoperational medical procedure and more particularly to systems and methods for providing increased illumination to a patient's anatomy during a teleoperational medical procedure.
Minimally invasive medical techniques are intended to reduce the amount of tissue that is damaged during invasive medical procedures, thereby reducing patient recovery time, discomfort, and harmful side effects. Such minimally invasive techniques may be performed through natural orifices in a patient anatomy or through one or more surgical incisions. Through these natural orifices or incisions, clinicians may insert medical tools to reach a target tissue location. These tools may be inserted through cannulas that are inserted into the natural orifices or incisions prior to inserting the medical tools into the patient anatomy. Minimally invasive medical tools include instruments such as therapeutic instruments, diagnostic instruments, and surgical instruments. Minimally invasive medical tools may also include imaging instruments such as endoscopic instruments. Imaging instruments provide a user with a field of view within the patient anatomy. Some minimally invasive medical tools and imaging instruments may be teleoperated or otherwise computer-assisted.
Bright illumination is beneficial to minimally invasive medical techniques (e.g. laparoscopic or robotic surgical procedures) in order to allow the surgeon to clearly identify targets and reduce the risks of injury to a patient's anatomy due to poor visibility. The illumination light source for such procedures is often provided by an instrument inserted into the patient anatomy through a cannula. For example, the light source may be provided by an endoscopic camera with the light muted to a distal tip of the endoscopic camera. When light is delivered to the distal tip of the endoscopic camera, the temperature of the distal tip of the camera may become elevated beyond the limits allowed by the applicable regulatory and safety requirements and increasing the risk of burning the internal tissue of the patient anatomy.
Even with adequate illumination, proper registration of the left and right channels of a stereo vision system necessary to provide an accurate image depth mapping can be difficult. Depth perception may be especially difficult for scenes of a patient's internal tissue which may have little or no texture. A resulting poor depth mapping in turn can make it difficult for the surgeon to get a correct sense of depth while he is operating, therefore increasing the risk of accidental injury to the patient.
Improvement in the art of illuminating a patient's anatomy during minimally invasive surgeries is continually needed.
The embodiments of the invention are summarized by the claims that follow the description.
In one embodiment, a cannula can include a body with a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion configured for insertion into a patient anatomy with a lumen that extends through the body. An energy interface can be positioned in the proximal portion of the body, and a light emitting device can be coupled to the energy interface and configured to emit light from the body. The distal portion can include a layer with the light emitting device, where the layer is adhered to a surface of the distal portion. The light emitting device can be positioned in the distal portion of the body and configured to emit light from the distal portion of the body. The light emitted from the distal portion can illuminate a cavity in the patient anatomy. The cannula can guide orientation of the distal portion that is inserted into the patient anatomy. The light emitted from the distal portion can be a structured light that projects a pattern onto tissue in the patient anatomy. The structured light can be configured to aid a focus of a stereo camera. The pattern of the structured light can also provide a texture on the tissue, with the pattern configured to aid a stereo camera in depth matching the tissue. The cannula can include a light detector that detects the light emitted from the distal portion and can transmit an indication to the energy interface in response to the detected light. The indication can indicate a presence of an object at a location in the lumen when the light detector detects a first light intensity, and the indication can indicate an absence of the object at the location in the lumen when the light detector detects a second light intensity. Additionally, the indication can indicate a first longitudinal position of an object in the lumen when the light detector detects a first light intensity and the indication can indicate a second longitudinal position of the object in the lumen when the light detector detects a second light intensity. The first and second light intensities can each represent an intensity of light that is reflected by the object in the lumen.
The light emitting device can be positioned in the proximal portion of the body and can emit light from the proximal portion, where the emitted light from the proximal portion visually transmits a status indication to a user, such as a surgeon, clinician, technician, etc. The cannula can further include an optical waveguide that extends from the proximal portion of the body to the distal portion of the body, with the light emitting device coupled to an end of the optical waveguide to launch light into the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide can include a lossy optical waveguide, with portions of light emitted along a length of the lossy optical waveguide being transmitted from the body. An optical waveguide can include a diffractive optical element (DOE) positioned in the distal portion of the body, and where the DOE creates a structured light that projects a pattern onto tissue in the patient anatomy. The energy interface can transfer electrical energy, electromagnetic energy, and/or optical energy to and/or from the light emitting device. The energy interface can include an electrical connector, an optical coupler, an inductive coupler, and/or a wireless communication device. The light emitting device can be positioned in the proximal portion of the body and can launch a launched light into the body via a coupling to the body. The body can include a plastic material that transmits the launched light through a wall of the body, and wherein the wall emits the launched light from the body and illuminates a cavity in the patient anatomy.
In another embodiment, a system can include a cannula with a body that has a proximal portion and a distal portion, with the distal portion configured to penetrate a patient anatomy, a light emitting device, a first energy interface positioned in the proximal portion and configured to transfer energy to the light emitting device, a lumen extending through the cannula, the lumen configured to receive an elongate member, a support structure including a second energy interface that transfers energy to and/or from the first energy interface, and an energy source coupled to the cannula via the first and second energy interfaces, where the light emitting device emits light in response to receiving energy from the energy source through the first and second energy interfaces. The distal portion can include a layer that contains the light emitting device, where the layer can be adhered to a surface of the distal portion. The light emitting device can be positioned in the distal portion of the body and configured to emit light from the distal portion of the body. The light emitted from the distal portion can illuminate a cavity in the patient anatomy and guide orientation of the distal portion that may penetrate the patient anatomy. The light emitted from the distal portion can be a structured light that projects a pattern onto tissue in the patient anatomy and the structured light can be configured to aid a focus of a stereo camera. The pattern of the structured light can also provide a texture on the tissue, with the pattern configured to aid a stereo camera in depth matching the tissue.
The system can also include a light detector that detects the light emitted from the distal portion and transmits an indication to the first energy interface in response to the detected light. The system can include a teleoperational surgical system that can include the support structure, a teleoperational manipulator, and a control system that controls the teleoperational manipulator, with the indication is transmitted to the control system. The indication can indicate that a distal end of the elongate member has reached a predetermined location in the lumen of the cannula, and the control system can manipulate the elongate member, via the teleoperational manipulator, in response to the indication. The system can also include an optical waveguide that can extend from the proximal portion of the body to the distal portion of the body, with the light emitting device positioned in the proximal portion of the body and coupled to an end of the optical waveguide, and the light emitting device launching light into the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide can be a lossy optical waveguide, where portions of the launched light can escape the lossy optical waveguide along a length of the lossy optical waveguide, thereby emitting light from the body of the cannula.
The optical waveguide can include a diffractive optical element (DOE) positioned in the distal portion of the body, where the DOE creates a structured light that projects a pattern onto tissue in the patient anatomy. A stereo camera of a teleoperational surgical system can be focused via a stereo camera view of the pattern on the tissue. The cannula can include at least first and second cannulas, where the light emitting device of the first cannula is positioned in the distal portion of the body of the first cannula and is configured to emit light from the distal portion of the body of the first cannula, and the light emitting device of the second cannula is positioned in the distal portion of the body of the second cannula and is configured to emit light from the distal portion of the body of the second cannula. The light emitted from the distal portion of the first and second cannulas can illuminate a cavity in the patient anatomy. The first and second cannulas can illuminate the cavity from separate directions providing a leveling (or more uniform distribution) of the illumination of the cavity of the patient anatomy.
In another embodiment, a method is provided that can include the operations of receiving a cannula at a support structure of a teleoperational surgical system. The cannula can include the features described above for a cannula, which at least can include a first energy interface positioned in the proximal portion, a light emitting device, and a lumen extending through the cannula. The method can also include the operations of manipulating the support structure, via the teleoperational surgical system, thereby positioning the distal portion of the cannula into a cavity in a patient anatomy, transferring energy through the first energy interface to the light emitting device, and emitting light from the light emitting device in response to the transferred energy. The method can include illuminating at least a portion of the cavity with the emitted light. Emitting the light can include coupling the light emitting device to an optical waveguide, and launching light into the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide can include a lossy optical waveguide, where light can be emitted along a length of the lossy optical waveguide and can be transmitted from the body.
The optical waveguide can include a diffractive optical element (DOE) positioned in the distal portion of the body, where the DOE can create a structured light that projects a pattern onto tissue within the cavity, with a frequency of the structured light being outside of a visible spectrum. The method can include aiming a surgical tool within the cavity in response to the pattern. The method can also include the operations of receiving a distal end of a elongate member into the lumen, detecting a first intensity of light received by a light detector, indicating a first position in the lumen of the distal end of the elongate member by transmitting an indication of the first intensity of light to the first energy interface, detecting a second intensity of light received by the light detector, and indicating a second position in the lumen of the distal end of the elongate member by transmitting an indication of the second intensity of light to the first energy interface. The method can also include the operations of coupling the light emitting device to the body of the cannula, where the body of the cannula comprises a plastic material, launching light into the body of the cannula, transmitting the launched light along the body, and illuminating a region external to the body by emitting the launched light from the body.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory in nature and are intended to provide an understanding of the present disclosure without limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In that regard, additional aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description.
Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is intended. In the following detailed description of the aspects of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of this disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments of the invention.
Any alterations and further modifications to the described devices, instruments, methods, and any further application of the principles of the present disclosure are fully contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates. In particular, it is fully contemplated that the features, components, and/or steps described with respect to one embodiment may be combined with the features, components, and/or steps described with respect to other embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, dimensions provided herein are for specific examples and it is contemplated that different sizes, dimensions, and/or ratios may be utilized to implement the concepts of the present disclosure. To avoid needless descriptive repetition, one or more components or actions described in accordance with one illustrative embodiment can be used or omitted as applicable from other illustrative embodiments. For the sake of brevity, the numerous iterations of these combinations will not be described separately. For simplicity, in some instances the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Although some of the examples described herein often refer to surgical procedures or tools, or medical procedures or tools, the techniques disclosed also apply to non-medical procedures and non-medical tools. For example, the tools, systems, and methods described herein may be used for non-medical purposes including industrial uses, general robotic uses, and sensing or manipulation of non-tissue work pieces. Other example applications involve surgical or nonsurgical cosmetic improvements, imaging of or gathering data from human or animal anatomy, training medical or non-medical personnel, performing procedures on tissue removed from human or animal anatomies (without return to a human or animal anatomy), and performing procedures on human or animal cadavers.
The embodiments below will describe various instruments and portions of instruments in terms of their state in three-dimensional space. As used herein, the term “position” refers to the location of an object or a portion of an object in a three-dimensional space (e.g., three degrees of translational freedom along Cartesian X, Y, Z coordinates). As used herein, the term “orientation” refers to the rotational placement of an object or a portion of an object (three degrees of rotational freedom—e.g., roll, pitch, and yaw). As used herein, the term “pose” refers to the position of an object or a portion of an object in at least one degree of translational freedom and to the orientation of that object or portion of the object in at least one degree of rotational freedom (up to six total degrees of freedom). As used herein, the term “shape” refers to a set of poses, positions, or orientations measured along an object.
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The operator input system 16 may be located at a surgeon's console, which is usually located in the same room as operating table O. It should be understood, however, that the surgeon S can be located in a different room or a completely different building from the patient P. In various embodiments, a teleoperational medical system may include more than one operator input system 16 and surgeon's console. In various embodiments, an operator input system may be available on a mobile communication device including a tablet or a laptop computer. Operator input system 16 generally includes one or more control device(s) for controlling the medical instrument system 14. The control device(s) may include one or more of any number of a variety of input devices, such as hand grips, joysticks, trackballs, data gloves, trigger-guns, foot pedals, hand-operated controllers, voice recognition devices, touch screens, body motion or presence sensors, and the like.
In some embodiments, the control device(s) will be provided with the same degrees of freedom as the medical instruments of the teleoperational assembly to provide the surgeon with telepresence, the perception that the control device(s) are integral with the instruments so that the surgeon has a strong sense of directly controlling instruments as if present at the surgical site. In other embodiments, the control device(s) may have more or fewer degrees of freedom than the associated medical instruments and still provide the surgeon with telepresence. In some embodiments, the control device(s) are manual input devices which move with six degrees of freedom, and which may also include an actuatable handle for actuating instruments (for example, for closing grasping jaw end effectors, applying an electrical potential to an electrode, delivering a medicinal treatment, and the like).
The teleoperational assembly 12 supports and manipulates the medical instrument system 14 while the surgeon S views the surgical site through the operator input system 16. An image of the surgical site can be obtained by the endoscopic imaging system 15, such as a stereoscopic endoscope, which can be manipulated by the teleoperational assembly 12 to orient the endoscope 15. A control system 20 can be used to process the images of the surgical site for subsequent display to the surgeon S through the operator input system 16 (can also be referred to as a surgeon's console 16). The number of medical instrument systems 14 used at one time will generally depend on the diagnostic or surgical procedure and the space constraints within the operating room among other factors. The teleoperational assembly 12 may include a kinematic structure of one or more non-servo controlled links (e.g., one or more links that may be manually positioned and locked in place, generally referred to as a set-up structure) and a teleoperational manipulator.
The teleoperational assembly 12 includes a plurality of motors that drive inputs on the medical instrument system 14. These motors move in response to commands from the control system (e.g., control system 20). The motors include drive systems which when coupled to the medical instrument system 14 may advance the medical instrument into a naturally or surgically created anatomical orifice. Other motorized drive systems may move the distal end of the medical instrument in multiple degrees of freedom, which may include three degrees of linear motion (e.g., linear motion along the X, Y, Z Cartesian axes) and in three degrees of rotational motion (e.g., rotation about the X, Y, Z Cartesian axes). Additionally, the motors can be used to actuate an articulable end effector of the instrument for grasping tissue in the jaws of a biopsy device or the like. Instruments 14 may include end effectors having a single working member such as a scalpel, a blunt blade, an optical fiber, or an electrode. Other end effectors may include, for example, forceps, graspers, scissors, or clip appliers.
The teleoperational medical system 10 also includes a control system 20. The control system 20 includes at least one memory 24 and at least one processor 22, and typically a plurality of processors, for effecting control between the medical instrument system 14, the operator input system 16, and other auxiliary systems 26 which may include, for example, imaging systems, audio systems (including an intercom system), fluid delivery systems, display systems, mobile vision carts, illumination systems, steering control systems, irrigation systems, and/or suction systems. The control system 20 also includes programmed instructions (e.g., a computer-readable medium storing the instructions) to implement some or all of the methods described in accordance with aspects disclosed herein.
While control system 20 is shown as a single block in the simplified schematic of
In some embodiments, control system 20 may include one or more servo controllers that receive force and/or torque feedback from the medical instrument system 14. Responsive to the feedback, the servo controllers transmit signals to the operator input system 16. The servo controller(s) may also transmit signals instructing teleoperational assembly 12 to move the medical instrument system(s) 14 and/or endoscopic imaging system 15 which extend into an internal surgical site within the patient body via openings in the body. Any suitable conventional or specialized servo controller may be used. A servo controller may be separate from, or integrated with, teleoperational assembly 12. In some embodiments, the servo controller and teleoperational assembly are provided as part of a teleoperational arm cart positioned adjacent to the patient's body.
The control system 20 can be coupled with the endoscope 15 and can include a processor to process captured images for subsequent display, such as to a surgeon on the surgeon's console, or on another suitable display located locally and/or remotely. For example, where a stereoscopic endoscope is used, the control system 20 can process the captured images to present the surgeon with coordinated stereo images of the surgical site. Such coordination can include alignment between the opposing images and can include adjusting the stereo working distance of the stereoscopic endoscope.
In alternative embodiments, the teleoperational system may include more than one teleoperational assembly and/or more than one operator input system. The exact number of manipulator assemblies will depend on the surgical procedure and the space constraints within the operating room, among other factors. The operator input systems may be co-located, or they may be positioned in separate locations. Multiple operator input systems allow more than one operator to control one or more manipulator assemblies in various combinations.
The teleoperational assembly 12 includes a drivable base 58. The drivable base 58 is connected to a telescoping column 57, which allows for adjustment of the height of the arms 54. The arms 54 may include a rotating joint 55 that both rotates and moves up and down. Each of the arms 54 may be connected to an orienting platform 53. The orienting platform 53 may be capable of 360 degrees of rotation. The teleoperational assembly 12 may also include a telescoping horizontal cantilever 52 for moving the orienting platform 53 in a horizontal direction.
In the present example, each of the arms 54 connects to a manipulator arm 51. The manipulator arms 51 may connect directly to a medical instrument 30a with a support structure 59 used to removably attach a cannula that embodies the principles of this disclosure. The manipulator arms 51 may be teleoperatable. In some examples, the arms 54 connecting to the orienting platform are not teleoperatable. Rather, such arms 54 are positioned as desired before the surgeon S begins operation with the teleoperative components.
Endoscopic imaging systems (e.g., systems 15, 28) may be provided in a variety of configurations including rigid or flexible endoscopes. Rigid endoscopes include a rigid tube housing a relay lens system for transmitting an image from a distal end to a proximal end of the endoscope. Flexible endoscopes transmit images using one or more flexible optical fibers. Digital image based endoscopes have a “chip on the tip” design in which a distal digital sensor such as a one or more charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device store image data. Endoscopic imaging systems may provide two- or three-dimensional images to the viewer. Two-dimensional images may provide limited depth perception. Three-dimensional stereo endoscopic images may provide the viewer with more accurate depth perception. Stereo endoscopic instruments employ stereo cameras to capture stereo images of the patient anatomy. An endoscopic instrument may be a fully sterilizable assembly with the endoscope cable, handle and shaft all rigidly coupled and hermetically sealed.
As described below, devices, systems and methods for improved illumination of a patient's anatomy during teleoperational medical surgeries is provided. The current disclosure provides embodiments for adding distributed lighting inside a patient. The light can be arbitrarily intense and can be emitted over an area that is large compared to the tip of an endoscope, thereby providing augmented illumination power with minimal risk of an overheated tip and/or burns to the patient. The current disclosure also provides embodiments for adding structured or patterned illumination to the illumination inside of the patient's body. This structured illumination can be used to add texture to the scene, making it easier for a stereo camera vision system to deliver accurate depth mapping by facilitating matching of corresponding regions between the two eyes. Depth mapping uses geometry to compute a depth (i.e. a distance from the camera). Points (or patterns) in a left image of a stereo camera are matched with points (or patterns) in a right image of a stereo camera at a same distance from the camera. When the match occurs, the depth of the point or pattern is known. A problem may arise when the field of view lacks a distinct texture or pattern, such as some tissue in a patient's anatomy. The structured light can be projected onto the tissue in the field of view of the stereo camera, thereby projecting a texture onto the tissue and aiding the stereo camera in viewing an image that enables improved depth mapping of the tissue via depth mapping algorithms performed by the control system 20. The current disclosure also provides detection of a presence or absence of an object in a lumen of the cannula. The detection can produce an indication that is transmitted to the control system 20, which indicates to the control system 20 whether the object is present or absent in the lumen. The control system can stop manipulation of the object (e.g. medical tools) and/or continue a manipulation of the object for a period of time relative to when the indication was received by the control system 20. The detection can also produce an indication of movement of the object through the lumen by transmitting multiple indications related to the movement of the object.
An energy interface 42A of the cannula can be coupled to an energy interface 43A of the structure support 59A providing a transfer of energy (e.g. electrical, magnetic, electromechanical, optical, hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure, etc.) between the support structure 59A and the cannula 40A. The energy transfers can be performed via electrical connectors, optical couplers, inductive couplers, wireless communication devices, and/or combinations thereof. The coupling between energy interfaces 42A and 43A may involve physical contacts (e.g. metal to metal), some type of wireless interface (e.g. near-field interface, optical interface, etc.), or combinations of both. It should be understood, that the cannula's energy interface 42A can also receive wireless communication from an energy interface (not shown) in the teleoperational medical system 10, without having the energy interface 42A coupled to the energy interface 43A.
A radio frequency identification (RFID) chip (not shown) can also be installed in the cannula 40A to provide a remotely accessible identification code that can be used by the teleoperational medical system 10 to log statistics related to the cannula 40A, such as the number of times the cannula 40A has been used (assuming the cannula 40A is a multiple-use type cannula), the length of time of each use, etc. The RFID can be used during wireless and/or wired communication with the cannula 40A to provide a unique address for validating communication to or from the cannula 40A.
A medical tool 46A can be inserted through the cannula 40A and into the cavity 80. Various types of medical tools can be inserted through cannula 40A. In this example the medical tool 46A is an imaging tool (e.g., an endoscope) that has been inserted into the cavity 80 to gather images and, optionally, project light 106 from a distal end of the tool 46A. The light 106 may be projected from a light source (not shown) in the tool 46A and can provide illumination of a localized portion of tissue 84 in the cavity 80 as well as possibly some surrounding tissue 82. As can be seen, the coverage of the light 106 is substantially localized to an area just distal of the endoscope tool 46A.
One or more light emitting devices 70 can be included in or coupled to the cannula 40A to emit light 100 that provides additional illumination or optical signaling capability in the cavity 80 or on the tissue 82, 84. The emitted light 100 can provide significant distributed light within the cavity 80 to increase clarity for a camera of the tool 46A and increase light to aid the surgeon S in the surgeon's operation procedures. The one or more light emitting devices 70 may additionally or alternatively emit light 102 that provides additional illumination, or optical signaling capability outside the patient anatomy. The one or more light emitting devices 70 may additionally or alternatively emit structured light 104 that projects a pattern 74 onto the tissue 84. The light emitting device 70 may be, for example, a light emitting diode, a laser diode, or other type of light source mountable to a cannula or capable of launching light into optical waveguides mounted onto or into a cannula. The light 100, 102, 104 may be emitted along the length, around the circumference (where the circumference can be circular, rectangular, oval, square, polygonal, etc.), from the proximal end and/or from the distal end of the cannula. In this embodiment, the pattern 74 projected by the light 104 resembles a grid of lines. However, the light emitting device 70 can be configured to project any number of patterns 74 suitable for supporting depth mapping algorithms, such as an array of dots, dashes. “X's,” “pluses” “O's,” etc. The structured light 104 can include a light frequency that is inside a range of visible light. The structured light 104 can also include a light frequency that is outside the range of visible light such as infrared light. As used herein, “visible light” refers to light that can be seen by a human. Optionally, the structured light 104 can include only light that is outside the visible spectrum, which would not be visible to a surgeon performing the minimally invasive surgery. However, this “invisible” structured light can produce a pattern 74 on the tissue 84 that is visible to some of the medical tools 46A used during the surgery, such as an endoscopic stereo camera that can detect the “invisible” pattern 74 (i.e. invisible to a human), and use the pattern 74 to improve performance of depth mapping algorithms (e.g., in areas with minimal or repeated texture). This can be beneficial for improving image depth mapping with the stereo camera, while at the same time not interfering with the image of the tissue being viewed by the surgeon S at the surgeon's console 16.
The cannula 40B also embodies principles of this disclosure. The cannula 40B may be removably coupled to a support structure 59B via a mating feature of the support structure 59B. Manipulations of the support structure 59B and the cannula 40B can be made to position the cannula 40B into the patient anatomy P so that an insertion guide marker 47 on the cannula 40B is positioned at approximately the surface of the patient anatomy. The teleoperational surgical system holds the cannula 40B in position during a minimally invasive surgery and may allow the orientation of the cannula to change about a center of rotation at the insertion guide 47. An elongate tool 46B can be inserted through the cannula 40B and into the cavity 80 to assist in the surgery. The tool 46B may include any of a variety of end effectors as previously described.
Cannula 40B includes one or more light emitting devices 70 for generating light 100, 102, 104. An energy interface 42B of the cannula can be coupled to an energy interface 43B of the structure support 59B providing a transfer of energy (e.g. electrical, electromechanical, optical, hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure, etc.) between the support structure 59A and the cannula 40B. As previously described for cannula 40A, the cannula 40B may also receive wireless communication from an energy interface and may include an RFID chip to track service information about the cannula 40B.
Each of the cannulae 40C-40L includes an elongated body 96 with a proximal portion 48 and a proximal end 38, a distal portion 49 and a distal end 39, and optionally, insertion guides 47. The body 96 of the cannulae 40C-40L can include a lumen 90 that extends through the cannula between the proximal and distal ends. The lumen 90 may have an entry 91 at the proximal end 38 that may be tapered, cylindrical, or otherwise shaped to facilitate the entrance of an elongate member (e.g., 46A. 46B) into the lumen. The body 96 includes a wall 98 surrounding the lumen 90 and an exterior surface 92. The wall 98 is defined as the portion of the body 96 that extends between the lumen 90 and the surface 92.
Each of the cannulae 40C-40L includes an energy interface 42 (e.g., the interfaces 42A. 42B) for receiving energy from and/or transmitting energy to an energy interface 43 (e.g., the interfaces 43A, 43B) in the support structure 59, and/or an energy interface in the teleoperational medical system 10. The energy transferred between these interfaces can be, for example, electrical, electromechanical, optical, hydraulic pressure, or pneumatic pressure. The energy transfers can be performed via electrical connectors, optical couplers, inductive couplers, and/or wireless communication devices. Power for the cannulae 40C-40L can be supplied via an on-board battery, or through the energy interface 42 via the electrical connectors, optical couplers, inductive couplers, and/or wireless communication device transmissions. The energy can be distributed to various components of the cannula 40 via electrical lines 94, optical waveguides 110, 130, and/or pressure control lines (not shown) as appropriate.
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When an object, such as the medical tool 46, is positioned between the light emitting device 70C and the light detector 86, the transmission of the light 108 is blocked or significantly reduced, causing the detector to detect no light 108 or a low intensity of light 108.
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When the tool 46 is moved through the cannula, the light 108 reflected from the tool 46 to the light detector 86 changes depending on whether the reflective surface is a marker 112, the surrounding body of the tool, or the opposite side of the cannula 40G.
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One or more elements in embodiments of the invention may be implemented in software to execute on a processor of a computer system such as control processing system. When implemented in software, the elements of the embodiments of the invention are essentially the code segments to perform the necessary tasks. The program or code segments can be stored in a processor readable storage medium or device that may have been downloaded by way of a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave over a transmission medium or a communication link. The processor readable storage device may include any medium that can store information including an optical medium, semiconductor medium, and magnetic medium. Processor readable storage device examples include an electronic circuit; a semiconductor device, a semiconductor memory device, a read only memory (ROM), a flash memory, an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM); a floppy diskette, a CD-ROM, an optical disk, a hard disk, or other storage device. The code segments may be downloaded via computer networks such as the Internet, Intranet, etc.
Note that the processes and displays presented may not inherently be related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct a more specialized apparatus to perform the operations described. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear as elements in the claims. In addition, the embodiments of the invention are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein.
While certain exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that the embodiments of the invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/574,359 filed Oct. 19, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2018/056308 | 10/17/2018 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62574359 | Oct 2017 | US |