Abstract: A blood vessel dissecting device method involves inserting a dissecting device into a living body, advancing the dissecting device along a vein, and dissecting the vein and tissue bound to the vein from other surrounding tissue.

Abstract: A blood vessel dissecting device method involves inserting a dissecting device into a living body, advancing the dissecting device along a vein, and dissecting the vein and tissue bound to the vein from other surrounding tissue.

Abstract: A medical manipulator comprises a distal end working unit including a gripper as an end effector, an operating unit for operating the distal end working unit, a coupling interconnecting the distal end working unit and the operating unit, and an attitude changing mechanism for changing an attitude of the distal end working unit. When the operating unit is operated by an operator, the end effector is mechanically operated by a transmitting member. The attitude changing mechanism is operated by a bending drive source and a rotational drive source, which are operated when the operating unit is operated by the operator.

Abstract: A vein harvesting assembly for harvesting a vein in a body comprises: a dissecting member, with the dissecting member being insertable into the body and moved along a vein to dissect tissue surrounding the vein. A covering member possesses a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, with the covering member possessing a covered space extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, and the covering member being mountable on and movable along the dissecting member when the dissecting member is positioned in a living body. A cutting member is comprised of an elongated member and a blade member so that rotation of the elongated member results in turning of the cutting member to cut tissue surrounding the vein. The cutting member is insertable into the space in the covering member and is movable in a distal direction along the space.

Abstract: A medical manipulator is provided. The medical manipulator includes an end effector that is configured to perform motions with respect to at least two different axes, and that is inserted in a body cavity during operation of the medical manipulator. The medical manipulator also includes at least two cylindrical motors that each include a longitudinal axis and that drive at least a part of the end effector. The motors remain outside a living body during operation of the medical manipulator and the motors are mounted on at least one bracket. A shaft interconnects the bracket and the end effector. A longitudinal axis of the shaft extends substantially parallel to each of the longitudinal axes of the motors.

Abstract: A method of retrieving calculus in a living body and relocating the calculus to a different location in the living body involves positioning an elongated member in the living body in which the calculus is located, drawing the calculus in the living body toward the elongated member while the elongated member is positioned in the living body so that the calculus is retained by the elongated member; moving the elongated member so that the elongated member is located at a position in the living body that is different from the position of the elongated member in the living body during the drawing of the calculus toward the elongated member; and releasing the calculus from the elongated member so that the calculus is at a position in the living body different from a location of the calculus in the living body while the calculus is being drawn toward the elongated member.

Abstract: A blood vessel dissecting device includes: a guide to be inserted into a living body along a blood vessel; and a cutting device which is connectable to the guide and which is adapted to be inserted into the living body while being guided by the guide and to cut tissue surrounding the blood vessel in the direction of alignment thereof with the blood vessel. The cutting device is deformed by an external force in the living body.

Abstract: A medical manipulator is disclosed, which includes a multiple-degree freedom arm which can be mounted with a medical instrument, an insertion port position which indicates a spatial position of an insertion port for inserting the medical instrument mounted in the multiple-degree freedom arm into a human body is retained. An insertion posture of the medical instrument is determined so as to cause an extended line of a major axis of the medical instrument to pass through the spatial position indicated by the retained insertion port position, outside the human body. The multiple-degree freedom arm is controlled so as to realize the determined insertion posture.

Abstract: A medical manipulator is disclosed, which includes a multiple-degree freedom arm which can be mounted with a medical instrument, an insertion port position which indicates a spatial position of an insertion port for inserting the medical instrument mounted in the multiple-degree freedom arm into a human body is retained, and the multiple-degree freedom arm is controlled so as to insert the medical instrument into the human body from the retained insertion port position. The multiple-degree freedom arm is driven under operational restriction in which movement of the medical instrument is restricted by the insertion port position after the medical instrument is inserted from the insertion port position. The multiple-degree freedom arm is driven so as to move a predetermined portion of the medical instrument to spatial coordinates instructed by a user while maintaining a state where the medical instrument passes through the insertion port position under the operational restriction.

Abstract: A medical robot system includes a forceps arm provided with a forceps manipulator and a camera arm provided with an endoscope. The forceps manipulator and the endoscope are inserted into a living body through a common insertion implement. The system further includes an operating unit that generates a control signal to control the forceps manipulator and the forceps arm, a forceps motion control unit that controls motions of the forceps manipulator and the forceps arm according to the control signal from the operating unit, an endoscope motion control unit that controls motions of the endoscope and the camera arm, and an interference avoiding unit that controls an interference avoiding motion of the camera arm to avoid interference between the camera arm and the forceps arm while a visual point of the endoscope is kept constant.

Abstract: A cleaning method for a working mechanism for a medical manipulator, the working mechanism including a shaft, a force transmitting member in the shaft, a working unit at one end of the shaft with a working unit moved by the force transmitting member, and a cover over a portion of the working unit, with a gap between the cover and shaft, and a hole is disposed on a side of the cover. The method includes the steps of inserting an end of the shaft with the cover into one end of a tube, sealing the tube and shaft with a sealing element, disposing a sucking and discharging element on another end of the tube, and immersing another end of the shaft into a cleaning agent. By activating the sucking and discharging element, sucking and discharging of the cleaning agent is carried out repeatedly, from the other end of the shaft.

Abstract: A cleaning method for a working mechanism for a medical manipulator, the working mechanism including a shaft, a force transmitting member in the shaft, a working unit at one end of the shaft with a working unit moved by the force transmitting member, and a cover over a portion of the working unit, with a gap between the cover and shaft, and a hole is disposed on a side of the cover. The method includes the steps of inserting an end of the shaft with the cover into one end of a tube, sealing the tube and shaft with a sealing element, disposing a sucking and discharging element on another end of the tube, and immersing another end of the shaft into a cleaning agent. By activating the sucking and discharging element, sucking and discharging of the cleaning agent is carried out repeatedly, from the other end of the shaft.

Abstract: A working mechanism for a medical manipulator and a cleaning method therefor are provided. A working unit of a medical manipulator is equipped with a hollow connecting shaft, wires of a motive force transmitting member disposed in the connecting shaft, and a distal end working unit disposed on one end of the connecting shaft and which is moved by the wires. A cover covers at least a portion of the distal end working unit. A gap is provided between the cover and the connecting shaft, with oblong holes being disposed laterally on right and left sides of the cover. A cleaning agent is made to flow through the holes and the gap and/or a brush may be inserted through the holes and the gap for cleaning the distal end working unit.

Abstract: A medical manipulator is provided. The medical manipulator includes an end effector that is configured to perform motions with respect to at least two different axes, and that is inserted in a body cavity during operation of the medical manipulator. The medical manipulator also includes at least two cylindrical motors that each include a longitudinal axis and that drive at least a part of the end effector. The motors remain outside a living body during operation of the medical manipulator and the motors are mounted on at least one bracket. A shaft interconnects the bracket and the end effector. A longitudinal axis of the shaft extends substantially parallel to each of the longitudinal axes of the motors.

Abstract: A medical manipulator includes a wire movable in opposite directions, a driven wire having both ends thereof connected to the wire, an end effector of a distal-end working unit, a transmitting member, a crescent driven member integral with the transmitting member, and a return pulley. The transmitting member, the crescent driven member, and the return pulley are successively arranged in this order from the proximal end of the medical manipulator. When the driven wire is moved in opposite directions, the transmitting member also moves in opposite directions. At this time, the crescent driven member moves toward the return pulley, and the proximal-end portion of the return pulley enters a cavity of the crescent driven member.

Abstract: A manipulator has a treating portion, a driving portion which are connected by a connecting portion, a first pulley on which a first wire which passes through inside of the connecting portion and is driven by the driving portion is hung for rotation, and a main shaft portion which rotatably supports the treating portion around a main shaft along a direction different from a first rotor axis that the first pulley rotates, one end portion of which is fixed to the first pulley.

Abstract: A medical manipulator is provided. The medical manipulator includes an end effector that is configured to perform motions with respect to at least two different axes, and that is inserted in a body cavity during operation of the medical manipulator. The medical manipulator also includes at least two cylindrical motors that each include a longitudinal axis and that drive at least a part of the end effector. The motors remain outside a living body during operation of the medical manipulator and the motors are mounted on at least one bracket. A shaft interconnects the bracket and the end effector. A longitudinal axis of the shaft extends substantially parallel to each of the longitudinal axes of the motors.

Abstract: A medical manipulator includes a trigger lever operated by hands, a shaft that extends from a body in which the trigger lever is provided, and a tip operating unit that is provided at a tip of the shaft. The tip operating unit includes an end effector to which the operation of the trigger lever is mechanically transmitted and in which the operation is performed, and a detection mechanism that detects an operation state of the first input unit.

Abstract: A manipulator has an operation command unit and an exchangeable working unit. The working unit comprises an end effector operable under actions of a control apparatus, and an ID retaining section holding an ID for individualized discrimination of the working unit. The control apparatus includes an ID identification section for identifying the ID and for determining whether the working unit is connected to the operation command unit, an origin point recognition section for recognizing whether the end effector is in a prescribed origin point position or in a non-origin point position, and a warning section which generates a detachment warning when it is determined that the end effector has been detached from the operation command unit, in the event it is determined that the end effector is in a non-origin point position.

Abstract: A manipulator includes a wire which is movable back and forth, a driven wire both ends of which are connected to the wire, an idle pulley, a guide pulley, a driven pulley which is movable back and forth, and an end effector coupled to the driven pulley. The driven wire passes from a terminal along a first side on the idle pulley and extends to a second side opposite to the first side, and then passes along the second side on the driven pulley. The driven wire is then wound around the driven pulley and passes along the first side on the driven pulley and then the second side on the idle pulley, and finally returns to the terminal, thereby making up an 8-shaped configuration path. The driven wire is crossed between the idle pulley and the guide pulley.