Robotic medical instrument system

Abstract

A method of performing a medical procedure (e.g., a suturing procedure or sewing procedure) on a patient is provided. The method comprises introducing a first medical instrument within the patient external to an anatomical vessel, introducing a second medical instrument within the patient internal to the anatomical vessel, conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit, and operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals to actuate a first tool (e.g., a surgical tool) on the first medical instrument and a second tool (e.g., a surgical tool) on the second medical instrument, in unison, to perform the medical procedure at a target region on the anatomical vessel.

1 . A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient, comprising:
 introducing a first medical instrument within the patient external to an anatomical vessel;   introducing a second medical instrument within the patient internal to the anatomical vessel;   conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit; and   operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals to actuate a first tool on the first medical instrument and a second tool on the second medical instrument, in unison, to perform the medical procedure at a target region on the anatomical vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first medical instrument is intraluminally introduced within the patient, and the second medical instrument is extraluminally introduced within the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first medical instrument is introduced within the patient through a natural body orifice or percutaneously, and the second medical instrument is introduced within the patient through a surgical opening or laparoscopically. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the control signals are conveyed from the remote controller to the drive unit in response to user commands. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user commands are movements made at a user interface that correspond to movements of the medical instrument. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second tools is a surgical tool, and the medical procedure is a surgical procedure. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second medical instruments are introduced into the patient by operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical procedure is a suturing procedure. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical procedure is a sewing procedure. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical vessel is a bowel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the medical procedure comprises repairing a bowel wall defect. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical vessel is a stomach. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the medical procedure comprises treating a gastric ulcer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical vessel is a urinary bladder. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomical vessel is a sphincter. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sphincter is located at the base of a ureter. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sphincter is located at a gastro-esophageal junction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the medical procedure comprises constricting the sphincter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical procedure comprises securing a stent to the anatomical vessel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical procedure comprises transversely securing another anatomical vessel to a sidewall of the anatomical vessel.