Deflectable Surgical Scope with Articulation Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robotic surgical systems face limitations in the range of motion and access of surgical scopes and instruments due to their rigid configurations, which restricts the reach and access within the surgical workspace, potentially leading to collisions and reduced efficiency in robotic-assisted procedures.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a surgical scope with a deflectable shaft and a surgical cannula featuring a distal articulation joint, allowing for greater flexibility and degrees of freedom, enabling the scope to be positioned remotely from the entry point and providing enhanced reach and access within the body cavity, while a scope feed device with integrated or remote motors facilitates precise advancement and retraction of the scope relative to the body wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid configuration is used for robotic surgical systems, then structural stability is maintained, but the range of motion and access within the surgical workspace is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical scope is divided into multiple segments including a proximal shaft, distal shaft, and articulation joint, allowing independent movement of each segment to achieve complex positioning within the surgical workspace while maintaining overall structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static rigid configuration to a dynamic articulated structure with movable joints and flexible shafts, enabling real-time adjustment of the scope's position and orientation to access different surgical sites
2Length of moving object
If a rigid surgical scope is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the ability to reach and access distant surgical sites is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical scope incorporates curved and flexible shaft portions instead of straight rigid structures, allowing the scope to navigate around anatomical obstacles and reach distant surgical sites through curved pathways
Solution Approach 2:
The articulation joint introduces an additional degree of freedom by enabling bending in multiple planes, transforming the scope from a single-axis linear instrument to a multi-dimensional positioning tool that can access complex three-dimensional surgical spaces
3Adaptability or versatility
If the surgical scope is positioned remotely from the entry point, then access to deep surgical sites is improved, but the risk of collisions with surrounding structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors and control mechanisms that provide real-time feedback on the scope's position and surrounding structures, allowing the robotic system to adjust movements dynamically to avoid collisions while maintaining optimal positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible shaft and articulation joint allow the scope to conform to the anatomical pathways and navigate around obstacles smoothly, reducing the risk of collisions compared to rigid structures that would require forceful insertion
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a surgical scope, a feed device, and a controller. The surgical scope is configured to extend through a surgical opening in a body wall of a patient and into a body cavity and includes a distal tip having a lens configured to visualize an anatomical structure. The feed device is operable to selectively advance and retract the surgical scope relative to the body wall. The controller is in communication with the surgical scope and the feed device, and is configured to determine a present target distance measured from the distal tip to the anatomical structure, and compare the present target distance to a threshold target distance. Based on the comparison, the controller is configured to at least one of control the feed device to advance, retract, or halt the surgical scope longitudinally relative to the body wall, or provide a notification to a user of the system.