Retrograde instrument

Abstract

A minimally invasive surgical instrument includes a U-turn mechanism that transmits actuating forces around a U-turn. The U-turn mechanism is coupled between segments of the instrument and has a bend radius that is smaller than flexible arms having a similar cross section diameter. The actuating forces transmitted by the U-turn mechanism are used to move distal components of the instrument, such as an end effector and a wrist mechanism.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the priority benefit of the following United States Provisional Patent Applications, all of which are incorporated by reference: [0002] U.S. Patent Application No. 60 / 813,028 entitled “Single port system 2” filed 13 Jun. 2006 by Cooper et al.; [0003] U.S. Patent Application No. 60 / 813,029 entitled “Single port surgical system 1” filed 13 Jun. 2006 by Cooper; [0004] U.S. Patent Application No. 60 / 813,030 entitled “Independently actuated optical train” filed 13 Jun. 2006 by Larkin et al.; [0005] U.S. Patent Application No. 60 / 813,075 entitled “Modular cannula architecture” filed 13 Jun. 2006 by Larkin et al.; [0006] U.S. Patent Application No. 60 / 813,125 entitled “Methods for delivering instruments to a surgical site with minimal disturbance to intermediate structures” filed 13 Jun. 2006 by Larkin et al.; [0007] U.S. Patent Application No. 60 / 813,126 entitled “Rigid single port surgical system” filed 13 Jun. 2006 b...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0276]FIGS. 29A and 29B are diagrammatic views that illustrate further aspects of minimally invasive surgical instrument assembly position sensing and motion control. As shown in FIG. 29A, the distal end 2902 of a surgical instrument device or assembly is advanced within the walls 2904 of a body lumen or other cavity towards surgical site 2906. Distal end 2902 is illustrative of various components, such as a guide probe or guide tube as described above. As distal end 2902 advances it is moved (flexed as shown, or pivoted at a joint) up and down and side to side, as depicted by the alternate position lines. As the tip of distal end 2902 touches, or comes close to touching, a position on walls 2904, actuator control system 2908 records the tip's position and stores the position data in memory 2910. Tip position information may come directly from the surgical instrument assembly or from an external sensor 2912, as described above. The tip may be bent in various 3-dimensional directions so that it touches or nearly touches walls 2904 in various patterns (e.g., a series of rings, a helix, a series of various crosses or stars, etc.), either under a surgeon's direct control or under automatic control by control system 2908. Once the lumen's or cavity's interior space is mapped, the space information is used to assist advancing subsequent surgical instrument assembly components, as illustrated in FIG. 29B. As an example, a secondary guide tube 2912 with side exit ports is shown, and control system 2908 uses the map information to prevent primary guide tubes 2914a,2914b and their associated end effectors from interfering with walls 2904 as they are advanced towards surgical site 2906.

Problems solved by technology

Although teleoperative surgery using the da Vinci® Surgical System provides great benefits over, for instance, many hand-held procedures, for some patients and for some anatomical areas the da Vinci® Surgical System is unable to effectively access a surgical site.

In particular, “defective” manipulators have fewer than six independently controlled joints and therefore do not have the capability of fully controlling end effector position and orientation.

Instead, defective manipulators are limited to controlling only a subset of the position and orientation variables.

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