Active drive for guidewire manipulation

Abstract

A guidewire manipulation system may include a cylindrical drum, having a cylindrical outer drum surface with a helical groove for housing a flexible guidewire and an anchoring mechanism for attaching the flexible guidewire to the drum. The system may also include an outer shell or belt disposed around the drum, forming an opening through which the flexible guidewire exits. The system may also include a first actuator coupled with the drum for rotating the drum about a first axis, and a second actuator coupled with the drum for rotating the system about a second axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A guidewire manipulation system for translating and rotating a flexible guidewire for a medical or surgical procedure, the system comprising:
 a cylindrical drum, comprising:
 a cylindrical outer drum surface with a helical groove for housing the flexible guidewire; and 
 an anchoring mechanism for attaching the flexible guidewire to the drum; 
   a guiding layer disposed around the drum and defining an opening through which the flexible guidewire passes;   a first actuator coupled with the drum for rotating the drum about a first axis, to translate the guidewire through the opening and along a longitudinal axis of the guidewire; and   a second actuator coupled with the drum for rotating the drum about a second axis, to roll the guidewire about the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises:
 an opening near one of the edges of the outer drum surface; and   a channel in communication with the opening that narrows down to a diameter sufficiently small to fixedly hold the flexible guidewire when it is inserted therein.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 two discs coupled with the cylindrical drum at opposite edges of the outer drum surface; and   multiple rods disposed between the two discs above the outer drum surface,   wherein the guiding layer comprises a belt disposed around at least some of the rods, and wherein the opening is defined by a space between two of the multiple rods between which the belt does not extend.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the belt comprises a loop wrapped around the rods so that it rolls over the rods with frictional force from the flexible guidewire as the flexible guidewire is translated through the opening. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a covering for the opening, configured to close the opening during at least part of a procedure in which the system is used. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are disposed in an actuator base coupled with the cylindrical drum. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical drum is removable from the system without dissembling the system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a replacement drum, wherein the helical groove of the drum and a helical groove of the replacement drum have different sizes to accommodate different sizes of guidewires. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the guiding layer comprises a cylindrical shell configured to move axially along the cylindrical drum as the drum is rotated. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a cylindrical outer housing disposed over the cylindrical drum;   a first tubular channel extending from a proximal end of the outer housing to a proximal edge of the cylindrical drum to guide the flexible guidewire from the proximal end of the outer housing to the proximal edge of the drum; and   a second tubular channel extending from a distal edge of the drum to a distal end of the outer housing, to guide the flexible guidewire from the distal edge of the drum to the distal end of the outer housing.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a first guide tube for guiding the guidewire from the proximal end of the outer housing to the helical groove at the proximal edge of the drum; and   a second guide tube for guiding the guidewire from the helical groove at the distal edge of the drum to the distal end of the outer housing.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a cylindrical barrel disposed between the outer housing and the cylindrical drum, wherein the drum and the barrel are configured to rotate relative to the outer housing and to each other;   a first drive shaft coupled with the drum for rotating the drum about a central axis of the drum and the outer housing, to advance and retract the guidewire along a longitudinal axis of the guidewire;   a second drive shaft coupled with the barrel for rotating the barrel about the central axis to roll the guidewire about the longitudinal axis;   a proximal clamp for clamping the guidewire at or near a proximal end of the outer housing; and   a distal clamp for clamping the guidewire at or near a distal end of the outer housing.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the cylindrical barrel comprises an inner threaded surface that meshes with a complementary outer threaded surface on the first drive shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical drum is configured to move in a first direction within the cylindrical barrel when the system winds the guidewire onto the cylindrical drum and in a second direction within the cylindrical barrel when the system unwinds the guidewire off of the cylindrical drum. 
     
     
         15 . A method for translating and rotating a flexible guidewire for a medical or surgical procedure on a patient, the method comprising:
 fixedly attaching one end of a guidewire to a rotating, cylindrical drum within a housing;   rotating the drum in a first direction to wind at least part of the guidewire onto a helical groove on an outer surface of the drum;   rotating the drum in a second, opposite direction to unwind at least part of the guidewire off of the drum and thus advance the guidewire into the patient; and   spinning the housing to roll the guidewire.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising guiding the guidewire onto the helical groove on the outer surface of the drum with a belt disposed over the drum. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein rotating the drum comprises rotating a first drive shaft coupled with the drum, and wherein spinning the drum comprises rotating a second drive shaft coupled with the drum. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 clamping a first clamp at a first end of the housing during winding of the guidewire onto the drum;   releasing the first clamp; and   clamping a second clamp at a second end of the housing during unwinding of the guidewire off of the drum.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein spinning the drum comprises spinning a barrel disposed around the drum.