Apparatus for performing surgical procedures with a passively flexing robotic assembly

Abstract

A robotic system that moves a surgical instrument in response to the actuation of a foot pedal that can be operated by the foot of a surgeon. The robotic system has an end effector that is adapted to hold a surgical instrument such as an endoscope. The end effector is coupled to a robotic arm assembly which can move the endoscope relative to the patient. The system includes a computer which controls the movement of the robotic arm in response to input signals received from the foot pedal.

1 . A medical robotic system comprising: 
 a robotic assembly including a surgical instrument having a proximal end and a distal tip and a linkage movably supporting the proximal end of the instrument relative to a linkage base, the robotic assembly having an associated first coordinate system;    a monitor that can display an image of tissues adjacent the tip in a second coordinate system;    an input device that receives an input command from the surgeon to move the instrument tip with a desired movement, the input command being input in the second coordinate system; and    a controller that is coupled to said input device and said robotic linkage, said controller receives said input command from said input device and transmits an output command to said robotic linkage, said controller configured to transform the input command from the second coordinate system to a movement of said robotic linkage, as constrained by surrounding tissues, in the first coordinate system so that the instrument tip effects the desired movement.    
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the distal tip of the instrument is freely movable relative to the base when the instrument is unconstrained by surrounding tissues.  
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said robotic linkage comprises a passive joint between the base and the instrument.  
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said robotic linkage has a pair of passive joints between the base and a quick-disconnect instrument holder.  
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the instrument comprises a rigid shaft, and wherein the controller is configured to calculate a pivot point along the shaft at a minimally invasive aperture into the patient, the pivot point effected by the constraining of the shaft by the surrounding tissues adjacent the aperture.  
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said controller transforms the input command in the second coordinate system to an intermediate coordinate system and transforms from the intermediate coordinate system to the first coordinate system.  
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the instrument comprises an endoscope, and wherein the image displayed on the monitor is obtained from the tip of the endoscope.  
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said robotic linkage includes a mechanism to spin the endoscope about an axis of the endoscope.  
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said robotic linkage is enclosed by a sterile bag, and wherein the surgical instrument extends through the sterile bag and is in contact with the surrounding tissues of the patient.  
     
     
         10 . A method to allow a surgeon to control a tip of a surgical instrument, the method comprising; 
 coupling the instrument to a robotic linkage to form a robotic assembly, the robotic assembly having an associated first coordinate system;    viewing tissues adjacent the tip of the instrument in a monitor in a second coordinate system;    inputting, in th second coordinate system, a first input command from a surgeon to move the endoscope tip a desired movement;    transforming the first input command in the second coordinate system to a movement of the robotic assembly, with the instrument constrained by surrounding tissue, in the first coordinate system; and    generating an output command to move the robotic linkage so that the instrument tip effects the desired movement.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising allowing a shaft of the instrument to move laterally relative to the attached robotic linkage when the instrument is unconstrained by surrounding tissue.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining a transformation from the first coordinate system to the second coordinate system from movements of the instrument tip as constrained by the surrounding tissue.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the instrument comprises a rigid shaft, and further comprising calculating a pivot point along the shaft induced by the tissues, the tissues being disposed along a minimally invasive aperture.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1   0 , further comprising transforming the input command in the second coordinate system to an intermediate coordinate system and transforming from the intermediate coordinate system to the first coordinate system.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the image is obtained using the tip of the instrument, the instrument comprising an endoscope, and further comprising spinning the endoscope about a shaft of the endoscope.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the desired movement is effected by passively pivoting a joint of the robotic assembly.