Abstract: A robotic microsurgery assembly (1) includes at least one master tool (2) to detect a manual command; at least one slave manipulator (3); and at least one surgical instrument (70) operated on by the one slave manipulator (3). At least one control unit (4) receives at least a first command signal including information about the manual command and sends a second command signal to at least one actuator to control the slave manipulator (3). The surgical instrument includes at least one jointed subassembly (5). The jointed subassembly (5) includes a first link (6), a second link (7), and a third link (8). The first link structural body (9) and the second link structural body (10) have at least one tendon contact surface (18), avoiding the at least one tendon contact surface (18) being a hole surface.

Abstract: A robotic surgery assembly includes a medical instrument having a frame, a jointed device having a degree of freedom with respect of the frame, and at least one tendon made of polymer fibers configured for actuating the degree of freedom. The tendon includes a tendon endpoint connected to the medical instrument to exert a tensile load for actuating the degree of freedom.

Abstract: A medical instrument including a shaft and an actuated structure mounted at a distal end of the shaft can employ a pair of tendons connected to the actuated structure, extending down the shaft, and respectively wound around a capstan in opposite directions. A passive preload system may maintain minimum tensions in the tendons.

Abstract: A robotic surgical assembly (100) includes a support (104), one macro-positioning arm (30), connected to the support (104) and having a plurality of degrees of freedom. The macro-positioning arm (30) includes a support member (38), at least two micro-positioning devices (41, 141, 241, 341), each having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom, connected in cascade to the support member (38) of the macro-positioning arm (30), and at least two medical instruments (60, 160, 260, 360). Each instrument is connected in cascade to each of the micro-positioning device and includes a jointed device (70, 170, 270) having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom including a plurality of rotational joints. Each of the at least two medical instruments (60, 160, 260, 360) has a shaft (65), suitable for distancing the jointed device from the micro-positioning devices by a predetermined distance in a shaft direction (X-X).

Abstract: A surgical access port comprises an instrument guide. The instrument guide comprises a proximal end, a distal end, a plurality of instrument guide channels between the proximal and distal ends, and an outside surface that fits closely to an inner wall surface of a cannula into which the instrument guide is inserted. The instrument guide also comprises a first guide channel opening defined along a length of a first guide channel of the plurality of instrument guide channels. The instrument guide also comprises a second guide channel opening defined along a length of a second guide channel of the plurality of instrument guide channels. The instrument guide also comprises an insufflation channel defined between the first and second guide channel openings. The insufflation channel extends from a position between the proximal and distal ends of the instrument guide to the distal end of the instrument guide.

Abstract: What is described is a minimally invasive system comprising an elongate instrument and a stylet slidably disposed within the lumen of the elongate instrument. The instrument includes a flexible proximal portion fixedly coupled to a rigid distal portion, and a lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end through the flexible proximal portion and the rigid distal portion and defining a longitudinal axis of the instrument. The stylet includes a flexible body fixedly coupled to a steerable portion and a sensor element extending through the flexible body. The stylet is movable within the instrument between a retracted condition in which the steerable portion is retracted within the instrument and an extended configuration in which the steerable portion at least partially extends from the rigid distal portion of the instrument.

Abstract: A medical system including a catheter containing a mechanical system that is remotely operable uses a sensor to at least partly measure a pose of the catheter and a control system coupled to the mechanical system. The control system has multiple operating modes including one or more holding modes in which the control system operates the mechanical system to maintain a working configuration of the catheter based on feedback from the sensor.

Abstract: Information extracted from sequential images captured from the perspective of a distal end of a medical device moving through an anatomical structure are compared with corresponding information extracted from a computer model of the anatomical structure. A most likely match between the information extracted from the sequential images and the corresponding information extracted from the computer model is then determined using probabilities associated with a set of potential matches so as to register the computer model of the anatomical structure to the medical device and thereby determine the lumen of the anatomical structure which the medical device is currently in. Sensor information may be used to limit the set of potential matches. Feature attributes associated with the sequence of images and the set of potential matches may be quantitatively compared as part of the determination of the most likely match.

Abstract: A medical instrument including a shaft and an actuated structure mounted at a distal end of the shaft can employ a pair of tendons connected to the actuated structure, extending down the shaft, and respectively wound around a capstan in opposite directions. A passive preload system may maintain minimum tensions in the tendons.

Abstract: Methods and system perform tool tracking during minimally invasive robotic surgery. Tool states are determined. using triangulation techniques or a Bayesian filter from either or both non-endoscopically derived and endoscopically derived tool state information, or from either or both non-visually derived and visually derived tool state information. The non-endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from sensor data provided either by sensors associated with a mechanism for manipulating the tool, or sensors capable of detecting identifiable signals emanating or reflecting from the tool and indicative of its position, of external cameras viewing an end of the tool extending out of the body. The endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from image data provided by an endoscope inserted in the body so as to view the tool.

Abstract: A robotic surgical assembly (100) includes a support (104), one macro-positioning arm (30), connected to the support (104) and having a plurality of degrees of freedom. The macro-positioning arm (30) includes a support member (38), at least two micro-positioning devices (41, 141, 241, 341), each having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom, connected in cascade to the support member (38) of the macro-positioning arm (30), and at least two medical instruments (60, 160, 260, 360). Each instrument is connected in cascade to each of the micro-positioning device and includes a jointed device (70, 170, 270) having a plurality of motorized degrees of freedom including a plurality of rotational joints. Each of the at least two medical instruments (60, 160, 260, 360) has a shaft (65), suitable for distancing the jointed device from the micro-positioning devices by a predetermined distance in a shaft direction (X-X).

Abstract: A surgical system comprises a display screen, an endoscopic device, and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium that stores a plurality of instructions for execution by one or more computer processors. The instructions are for: determining a current position of a reference point on the endoscopic device relative to a reference frame; determining a first vector from the current position to a position of a first landmark relative to the reference frame; transforming the first vector from the reference frame to an image reference frame that corresponds to a perspective of an image capturing device disposed at a tip of the endoscopic device; displaying a graphical representation of the transformed first vector along with a current image captured by the image capturing device—the displayed graphical representation indicates a direction to steer the tip of the endoscopic device towards the first landmark; and periodically repeating the above processes.

Abstract: A method may include coupling a proximal end of a first cannula to a first manipulator of a surgical system, the first manipulator being configured to remotely actuate movement of the first cannula, wherein the first cannula comprises a rigid portion disposed between the proximal end and a distal end of the first cannula, the rigid portion having a curved longitudinal axis, and coupling a proximal end of a second cannula to a second manipulator of a surgical system, the second manipulator being configured to remotely actuate movement of the second cannula, wherein the second cannula comprises a rigid portion disposed between the proximal end and a distal end of the second cannula, the rigid portion having a curved longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Methods and system perform tool tracking during minimally invasive robotic surgery. Tool states are determined using triangulation techniques or a Bayesian filter from either or both non-endoscopically derived and endoscopically derived tool state information, or from either or both non-visually derived and visually derived tool state information. The non-endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from sensor data provided either by sensors associated with a mechanism for manipulating the tool, or sensors capable of detecting identifiable signals emanating or reflecting from the tool and indicative of its position, or external cameras viewing an end of the tool extending out of the body. The endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from image data provided by an endoscope inserted in the body so as to view the tool.

Abstract: A surgical access port comprises a seal and an instrument guide, which comprises proximal and distal ends, a plurality of instrument guide channels, and an outside surface that fits closely to an inner wall surface of a cannula into which the instrument guide is inserted. The seal is positioned to seal between the instrument guide and the inner wall surface as the instrument guide rotates within the cannula. A first guide channel is configured to support a first surgical instrument at a first defined position within the cannula. A second guide channel is configured to support a second surgical instrument at a second defined position within the cannula. A first guide channel opening is defined along a length of the first guide channel to be open to the outside surface of the instrument guide and place a portion of the first surgical instrument adjacent the inner wall surface.

Abstract: An instrument system comprising a flexible shaft having proximal and distal portions, a backend mechanism coupled to the proximal portion, and a plurality of tendons including first and second tendons. The backend mechanism comprises a plurality of capstans including first and second capstans. Each capstan includes a bore for engagement with a drive shaft, and a capstan coupling member adapted to engage a drive shaft coupling member such that rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the capstan, and adapted to disengage from the drive shaft coupling member so rotation of the drive shaft does not cause rotation of the capstan. The first tendon is configured to wrap around the first capstan and the second tendon is configured to wrap around the second capstan. The first and second tendons are coupled to a member disposed at the distal portion and are configured to move the member in opposing directions.

Abstract: A medical device comprises a tube including a wall with a plurality of slits oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tube and defined by opposing surfaces. A pair of force transmission elements is actuatable to alter the tube between a flexible state and a stiffened state. A first force transmission element of the pair is coupled to an opposite side of the tube from the second force transmission element of the pair. The surgical device also includes a plurality of routing members coupled to the wall of the tube and configured to receive and route the force transmission elements along a length of the tube while permitting the length of the tube to flex and compress. Equal tension forces applied to the pair of force transmission elements compress the tube to create the stiffened state by deforming regions of the tube disposed between the plurality of slits.

Abstract: Methods and system perform tool tracking during minimally invasive robotic surgery. Tool states are determined using triangulation techniques or a Bayesian filter from either or both non-endoscopically derived and endoscopically derived tool state information, or from either or both non-visually derived and visually derived tool state information. The non-endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from sensor data provided either by sensors associated with a mechanism for manipulating the tool, or sensors capable of detecting identifiable signals emanating or reflecting from the tool and indicative of its position, or external cameras viewing an end of the tool extending out of the body. The endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from image data provided by an endoscope inserted in the body so as to view the tool.

Abstract: A minimally invasive system comprises an elongate instrument that includes a flexible proximal portion, a rigid distal portion, and a lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the elongate instrument. The lumen defines a longitudinal axis of the elongate instrument. The flexible proximal portion is fixedly coupled to the rigid distal portion. The system further comprises a stylet slidably disposed within the elongate instrument. The stylet includes a flexible body fixedly coupled to a steerable portion and includes a sensor. The stylet is movable within the elongate instrument between a retracted condition and an extended configuration. A plurality of actuation cables extend through the stylet and terminate in the steerable portion, which comprises a bend-resistive section and a bendable section. The bendable section includes a plurality of articulable segments linked by the actuation cables and includes a plurality of joint pivots disposed between adjacent articulable segments.

Abstract: A minimally invasive system comprises an elongate medical instrument including a flexible body. The flexible body includes a wall including a channel, and the channel includes a groove. The flexible body further includes a lumen defined by an interior surface of the wall and a curved distal tip portion. The elongate medical instrument further includes a shape sensor coupled to the flexible body. The shape sensor is at least partially positioned within the groove, and the shape sensor is configured to detect shape characteristics of at least a portion of the flexible body. The system further includes an actuator for manipulating the elongate medical instrument.