Robotically controlled medical instrument

Abstract

A medical instrument assembly comprises an elongated shaft, a tool carried by the distal end of the elongated shaft for performing a medical procedure on a patient, a plurality of controllably bendable sections spaced along the elongated shaft and disposed proximal to the tool, a plurality of actuation elements extending within the elongated shaft for respectively actuating the controllably bendable sections, and an instrument coupler mounted to the proximal end of the elongated shaft, with the instrument coupler configured for coupling an electromechanical drive to the actuation elements. A robotic medical system comprises the previously described medical instrument assembly, a user interface configured for generating at least one command, a drive unit coupled to the plurality of actuating elements of the medical instrument assembly, and an electric controller configured, in response to the command(s), for directing the drive unit to moves the actuating elements to actuate the controllably bendable sections.

1 . A robotically controlled medical instrument comprising:
 an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends;   a tool supported from the distal end of said elongated shaft and useable in performing a medical procedure on a subject;   the distal end of said elongated shaft and the tool having respective removably engaging portions that are readily engagable for positioning the tool at the distal end of said elongated shaft in operative position relative to said elongated shaft, and readily disengagable for removal of said tool from the distal end of said elongated shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The medical instrument of  claim 1  further including a mechanically drivable mechanism at the proximal end of said elongated shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The medical instrument of  claim 2  wherein said mechanically drivable mechanism, elongated shaft, and tool comprise a single piece disposable unit. 
     
     
         4 . The medical instrument of  claim 2  wherein said mechanically drivable mechanism has at least one coupling tendon extending via said elongated shaft for operating said tool. 
     
     
         5 . The medical instrument of  claim 4  wherein said tool is controlled remotely from an electrical controller. 
     
     
         6 . The medical instrument of  claim 5  wherein said electrical controller couples from a user interface controlled by an operator to remotely and telerobotically control said tool. 
     
     
         7 . The medical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said tool is disposable. 
     
     
         8 . The medical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said tool is readily disengagable to allow the substitution of a different tool at the distal end of said elongated shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The medical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said elongated shaft has a segment thereof that is controllably bendable. 
     
     
         10 . The medical instrument of  claim 1  wherein said engaging portions include mating threaded portions. 
     
     
         11 . The medical instrument of  claim 1  including at least one actuation element extending via said elongated shaft and for control of said tool. 
     
     
         12 . The medical instrument of  claim 11  wherein said actuation element and said tool have removably engaging sections that are readily engagable to provide mechanical drive from the actuation element to the tool, and readily disengagable for removal of said tool from said actuation element. 
     
     
         13 . The medical instrument of  claim 11  wherein said actuation element includes a tendon that is sufficiently rigid to enable linear translation relative to said tool for actuation and deactuation of said tool. 
     
     
         14 . A robotically controlled medical instrument comprising: an elongated support shaft having proximal and distal ends; and a tool supported from the distal end of said elongated support shaft and controllable in performing a medical procedure on a subject; said tool being removably coupled with the distal end of said elongated support shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The medical instrument of  claim 14  wherein said disposable tool is readily attachable to and detachable from said elongated support shaft. 
     
     
         16 . The medical instrument of  claim 14  further including a mechanically drivable mechanism disposed at the proximal end of the elongated support shaft and having extending therefrom at least one control tendon coupling to said tool for operation thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The medical instrument of  claim 14  wherein said tool is actuated remotely via a computer from a user interface device. 
     
     
         18 . A flexible surgical instrument comprising a controllably flexible elongated section having a distal end for positioning at an anatomical site of interest of a subject, and at least one cable attached at or near the distal end of the section, the cable extending from its point of attachment exteriorly of the section through an aperture in the section at a position spaced a selected distance along the length of the section away from the distal end, a proximal end of the cable extending from the aperture through the shaft and being tensionable to controllably bend the flexible section.