A medical system includes an instrument, a display system, and a processing unit. The instrument includes an instrument shape sensor. The processing unit includes one or more processors. The processing unit is configured to, receive an anatomic model of a patient anatomy, receive shape sensor data from the instrument shape sensor while the instrument is positioned within the patient anatomy and registered to the anatomic model, determine a preferred fluoroscopic image plane for display on the display system based on the received shape sensor data and the area of interest, and provide an indication on the display system to guide positioning of a fluoroscopy system to obtain a fluoroscopic image in the preferred fluoroscopic image plane. An area of interest is identified in the anatomic model.

A deployable tube apparatus may include a spool and a flexible sheet coiled about the spool in a laterally unfurled condition. The flexible sheet may have a first lateral margin and a second lateral margin, and may be deployable from the laterally unfurled condition with the first and the second lateral margins spaced from each other to a deployed tubular condition where the first and the second lateral margins are coupled to each other to form an enclosed lumen. The deployable tube apparatus may provide lateral support to an elongated flexible instrument, such as a catheter. Methods of creating and using the deployable tube apparatus are described.

An antenna system comprises a transmission member and an antenna at a distal end of the transmission member. The antenna includes a first conductive arm, an insulator extending around the first conductive arm, and a second conductive arm wound around at least a first portion of the insulator to form a second conductive arm coil. A property of the insulator varies along an insulator longitudinal axis of the insulator. The insulator includes a set of formed patterns along at least a portion of the insulator longitudinal axis.

Systems and method for controlling the bending of a robotic catheter. A control backbone of the robotic catheter is coupled to a linear movement stage by a spring and linear movement of the control backbone causes a controllable bending of the robotic catheter. A sensor monitors a deflection of the spring and the bending of the catheter is controlled based on the spring deflection signal from the sensor. The spring allows passive bending of the robotic catheter without movement of the active linear movement stage and, conversely, allows external forces applied to the robotic catheter to limit a bending movement of the robotic catheter caused by—movement of the active linear movement stage. In some implementations, the robotic catheter includes a selectively deployable tip mechanism for deploying a steerable tip or for selectively exposing side windows on the catheter for increasing traction for clot removal.

A surgical instrument may comprise an elongated shaft extending between a proximal end and a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument may also comprise a plurality of cables extending along the longitudinal axis and a first bending section positioned between the proximal end and the distal end of the elongated shaft. The first bending section may comprise links having pairs of articulation holes extending longitudinally through the links to permit the plurality of pull wires to pass therethrough. Each pair of articulation holes may comprise first and second articulation holes that are spaced apart from the longitudinal axis (i) at different radii and (ii) at a same rotation angle.

A fiber includes M primary cores and N redundant cores, where M an integer is greater than two and N is an integer greater than one. Interferometric circuitry detects interferometric pattern data associated with the M primary cores and the N redundant cores when the optical fiber is placed into a sensing position. Data processing circuitry calculates a primary core fiber bend value for the M primary cores and a redundant core fiber bend value for the N redundant cores based on a predetermined geometry of the M primary cores and the N redundant cores in the fiber and detected interferometric pattern data associated with the M primary cores and the N redundant cores. The primary core fiber bend value and the redundant core fiber bend value are compared in a comparison. The detected data for the M primary cores is determined reliable or unreliable based on the comparison. A signal is generated in response to an unreliable determination.

Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for articulating medical instruments. In one aspect, the instrument includes a wrist having at least two degrees of freedom of movement, and an end effector coupled to the wrist. The end effector can include an upper jaw, a lower jaw, and a firing mechanism configured to form staples in tissue. Actuation of the firing mechanism can be decoupled from the movement of the wrist in the at least two degrees of freedom.

In exemplary examples, methods and systems for treating vascular disease by implanting a stent within the vasculature and using intravascular imaging to determine and ensure that the stent was property implanted and producing a desirable and effective results is disclosed herein. For example, a system may obtain optical shape sensing data and intravascular imaging data for a blood vessel. The system may process the optical shape sensing data and the intravascular imaging data to generate a three-dimensional model and image of the blood vessel immediately before and immediately after stent implantation into the blood vessel, and perform a precise comparison of the before and after images to ensure that the stent was properly implanted and will produce or is producing a desirable and effective result. The precise comparison may be based on a derived diameter associated with the location at which the stent is placed in the blood vessel based on the generated pre and post generated three-dimensional models.

Systems and methods for supporting image-guided procedures include an elongate device including a steerable distal end and a shape sensor located along a length of the elongate device and one or more processors coupled to the elongate device. While the elongate device is being traversed through one or more passageways of a patient, the one or more processors are configured to detect a data collection event, and capture, in response to detecting the data collection event, a plurality of points along the length of the elongate device using the shape sensor. In some embodiments, an insertion depth of the elongate device is monitored. In some embodiments, the data collection event is detected when the insertion depth is beyond a threshold insertion depth, no change of the insertion depth is detected for longer than a threshold period of time, or the insertion depth is beyond a threshold retraction distance.

A medical system includes one or more processors. The processors are configured to perform operations including receiving image data associated with an anatomic feature from a first imaging device. The image data is associated with a first imaging device space. Probe data associated with the anatomic feature is obtained from a second imaging device. The probe data is associated with a second imaging device space. The probe data is registered to the image data to generate a first registration between the second imaging device space and the first imaging device space. Anatomic model associated with the anatomic feature is registered to the probe data to generate a second registration between a model space of the anatomic model and the second imaging device space. A third registration between the model space and the first imaging device space is generated based on the first registration and the second registration.