System and apparatus for endoscopic deployment of robotic concentric tube manipulators for performing surgery

Abstract

An apparatus (20) for performing endoscopic surgery on a patient (12) includes at least two concentric tube manipulators (150) adapted to carry devices (152, 154) for performing a surgical operation. A transmission (200) operates the concentric tube manipulators (150). An endoscope tube (106) has a proximal end portion fixed to the transmission (200). The concentric tube manipulators (150) extend from the transmission (200) through an inner lumen (102) of the endoscope tube (106) and are operable to extend from a distal end (104) of the endoscope tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for performing endoscopic surgery on a patient, the apparatus comprising:
 a robot and a robotic arm upon which the robot is mounted, the robotic arm being operable to coarse movement of the robot as a whole, the robot comprising:
 a transmission; 
 a motor pack connected to the transmission; 
 a controller for controlling operation of the motors; 
 an endoscope tube connected to and extending from the transmission; and 
 at least two concentric tube manipulators connected to the transmission and extending adjacent to each other at least partially through the endoscope tube; 
   wherein each concentric tube manipulator has a manipulator axis and comprises a plurality of nested tubes arranged concentrically along the manipulator axis, each nested tube being configured for rotational movement about the manipulator axis and/or translational movement along the manipulator axis;   wherein each concentric tube manipulator includes at least one nested tube that has a pre-curved portion configured to assume a pre-curved configuration when extended relative to the remaining nested tubes, and to deflect and conform with the remaining nested tubes when retracted relative to the remaining nested tubes;   wherein the transmission is configured to impart the rotational movement and/or translational movement to the nested tubes of each concentric tube manipulator in response to operation of the motors; and   wherein the robot further comprises at least one robot-mounted manually actuatable control input device operable to provide a control signal to the controller to operate the motors and control the at least two concentric tube manipulators; and   wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one manually actuatable remote control input device located remotely from the robot and the robotic arm, the at least one remote control input device being operable to provide a control signal for controlling operation of the robotic arm and to provide a control signal to the controller to operate the motors and control the at least two concentric tube manipulators.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the control signal that the at least one manually actuatable remote control input device provides to the controller is indicative of desired movements of the at least two concentric tube manipulators, the controller being operative to control operation of the motors in order to produce via the transmission the at least one of rotational movement along the manipulator axis and the translational movement along the manipulator axis that will produce the desired movements of the at least two concentric tube manipulators. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the robot-mounted manually actuatable control input device is mounted on the motor pack. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the robot further comprises optics and a light source positioned at the distal end of the endoscope tube, the light source being operable to illuminate a workspace of the at least two concentric tube manipulators, and the optics being operable to provide video of the workspace. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a spacer fixed in an inner lumen of the endoscope tube at the distal end of the endoscope tube, the spacer being configured to support the at least two concentric tube manipulators in the endoscope tube and guide the at least two concentric tube manipulators from the distal end of the endoscope tube. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus recited in  claim 5 , wherein the spacer comprises a nozzle for directing fluids through the distal end of the endoscope tube. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one manually actuatable remote control input device comprises a joystick associated with one of the concentric tube manipulators, and wherein the controller maps the control signal provided by the joystick to lateral tip movements for the associated concentric tube manipulator and controls operation of the motors to produce the lateral tip movements. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one manually actuatable remote control input device comprises a trigger associated with one of the concentric tube manipulators, and wherein the controller maps the control signal provided by the trigger to axial tip movements for the associated concentric tube manipulator and controls operation of the motors to produce the axial tip movements. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , further comprising optics and a light source positioned an inner lumen of the endoscope tube at the distal end of the endoscope tube, the light source being operable to illuminate a workspace of the at least two concentric tube manipulators, and the optics being operable to provide video of the workspace. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a spacer fixed in an inner lumen of the endoscope tube at the distal end of the endoscope tube, the spacer being configured to support the at least two concentric tube manipulators in the endoscope tube and guide the at least two concentric tube manipulators from the distal end of the endoscope tube. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus recited in  claim 10 , wherein the spacer comprises a nozzle for directing fluids from the distal end of the endoscope tube. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the transmission comprises a plurality of tube carriers each of which carry one tube of one of the at least two concentric tube manipulators, each tube carrier having an associated drive screw and rotation shaft, each drive screw being coupled to an associated motor that is operable to rotate the drive screw to cause longitudinal translation of the tube carrier and its associated tube, each rotation shaft being coupled to an associated motor that is operable to rotate the rotation shaft to cause rotation of its associated tube within the tube carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the endoscope tube comprises a portion of a conventional endoscope, and wherein the transmission comprises an adapter for connecting the endoscope to the transmission. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1 , wherein the endoscope tube comprises a transurethral endoscope tube for delivering the at least two concentric tube manipulators transurethrally to a worksite in the patient, wherein the endoscope tube has an outside diameter of 6.0 mm or less.