A surgical system includes a drive unit on a support. The drive unit includes motors or other actuators and a plurality of output elements arranged such that operation of each drive unit linearly translates a corresponding one of the output elements. A surgical device has actuation elements extending through an elongate shaft to a distal articulation section, and an input subsystem carried at the proximal end of the shaft. Linear translatable input elements or pistons of the input subsystem are each associated with a corresponding one of the actuation elements. The input and output elements are positioned such that operation of an actuator linearly translates an output element, causing linear translation of a corresponding input element and engagement of an actuation element. A sterile drape is positionable between the input elements and the output elements.

A medical tracking system comprises a fiducial apparatus that includes a sensor docking feature configured to mate with a mating portion of a sensor device. The sensor docking feature retains the mating portion in a known configuration. The fiducial apparatus also includes at least one imageable fiducial marker and a surface configured for attachment to an anatomy of a patient.

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.

A medical manipulator system including: a manipulator with a flexible insertion portion, a movable part at a distal end of the insertion portion, a detachable drive unit at a proximal end of the insertion portion, and a pair of tension transmission members transmitting a driving force generated in the drive unit to move the movable part; an input unit inputting an operation command for the manipulator; and a control unit controlling the drive unit based on the input operation command, the drive unit having a displacement sensor detecting displacement direction and amount of the tension transmission members and a tension-difference sensor detecting a tension difference between the tension transmission members, the control unit has a storage unit storing characteristics of the tension transmission members and a setting unit setting a control parameter for controlling the drive unit based on the characteristics and the detected tension difference, displacement amount and direction.

The present invention relates to a method, such as a surgical method for assisting a surgeon for placing screws in the spine using a robot attached to a passive structure. The present invention also related to a method, such as a surgical method for assisting a surgeon for removing volumes in the body of a patient using a robot attached to a passive structure and to a device to carry out said methods. The present invention further concerns a device suitable to carry out the methods according to the present invention.

Disclosed herein are gear shifters to reverse an output shaft rotation and a method for using the same. A gear shifter in accordance with the present invention may include a housing, an input shaft, an output shaft and an idler shaft. The input shaft may have input gears, the output shaft may have output gears and the idler shaft may have idler gears. The output shaft may be slidably coupled with the input shaft and the idler shaft to rotate in a first direction in a first position and in a second opposite direction in a second position. A method of reversing an output shaft direction using a gear shifter may include the steps of pushing the gear shifter in a first direction to rotate the output shaft in a first direction and pushing the gear shifter in a second direction to rotate the output shaft in a second direction.

An imaging, guidance, planning and treatment system integrated into a single unit or assembly of components, and a method for using same, that can be safely and effectively deployed to treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in ail medical settings, including in a physician's office or in an outpatient setting. The system utilizes the novel process of Radio-Frequency Electrical Membrane Breakdown (EMB or RFEMB) to destroy the cellular membranes of unwanted BPH tissue without damaging sensitive anatomical structures in the prostate. The system preferably comprises at least one EMB treatment probe 20, at least one ultrasound scanner, at least one trackable anesthesia needle 300, and at least one controller unit for at least partially automating the treatment process.

A robotic surgical system is provided. The robotic surgical system includes a robotic mechanism having a force transmitting member and a computer connected with the robotic mechanism. The robotic surgical system also includes an optical sensing system connected with the computer, at least one navigation member configured to couple to one or more tissues of a patient, and a tool suitable for use in resecting at least a portion of a first bone of a joint in a patient and at least a portion of a second bone of the joint in the patient.

Certain aspects relate to manually and robotically controllable medical instruments. A manually and robotically controllable medical instrument can include an elongated shaft articulable by pull wires. The elongated shaft can be connected to an instrument handle that attaches to an instrument drive mechanism. The instrument handle can include a pulley assembly on which the pull wires can be mounted. Rotation of the pulley assembly can actuate the pull wires to cause articulation of the elongated shaft. The medical instrument also includes a manual drive input connected to the pulley assembly such that manual actuation of the manual drive input causes rotation of the first pulley assembly and a robotic drive input configured to engage with a robotic drive output of the instrument drive mechanism such that rotation of the first robotic drive output causes rotation of the pulley assembly.

A device for transperineal biopsy with a movable arm of a robot, comprising: an ultrasound probe being mounted around a first axis; a surgical instrument with a needle, which is movable along a first trajectory; and a moving device comprising at least a first pair of arms facing one another and arranged around a first longitudinal axis of the ultrasound probe so as to move, preferably oscillate, around the axis along a second trajectory, in order to guide and support the needle at a free end of each guide arm; and a connection interface to connect the device to a movable arm of a robot and having an operating module, which comprises a plurality of actuators each to move a respective said ultrasound probe or said guide arms, and a separation module arranged on the operating module and configured to transmit the motion to the ultrasound probe or to the arms.