A medical instrument system includes actuators, a medical instrument, and a control system operably connected to the actuators. The medical instrument includes an end portion and transmission systems, each of which couples the end portion to an actuator of the actuators such that the actuators are operable to drive the transmission systems to move the end portion. The control system is configured to execute operations including determining a difference between a current configuration of the end portion and a desired configuration of the end portion, and operating the actuators to apply tensions to the transmission systems based on the difference and based on constant offset tensions. The constant offset tensions are independent of current tensions experienced by the transmission systems.

An elongate multi-core optical fiber instrument for insertion within a patient body includes a set of first optical fiber cores extending along a first sensing region of the multi-core optical fiber instrument, where each first optical fiber core includes a set of first sensors disposed along the first region and a set of second optical fiber cores extending along a second sensing region of the multi-core optical fiber instrument, where each second optical fiber core includes a set of second sensors disposed along the second sensing region. The first sensing region is located distal the second sensing region, and the first optical fiber cores extend along the second sensing region. Also disclosed is a console for providing an incident light signal to the multi-core optical fiber instrument, receiving reflected light signals from the sensors, and determining a parameter experienced by instrument in accordance with the reflected light signals.

A computer-assisted medical device is configured and used to endoluminally navigate to a location in the gastrointestinal system and there treat certain body lumen wall areas while avoiding other body lumen wall areas. Embodiments ablate the inner mucosal layer and sub-mucosal nerve plexus of the stomach, duodenum and jejunum to effect treatment of insulin resistance and metabolic disorders, such as Type II diabetes (T2D), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), congestive heart failure (CHF) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Various sensors are used to assist a clinical operator to navigate from the mouth through the pyloric sphincter and into and through the duodenum and/or jejunum. Various sensors are used to map and identify portions of the duodenum and/or jejunum. Various lumen wall ablation devices and methods are described. Various post-treatment assessments are described.

An apparatus, method, and system for a steerable medical instrument, configured to be used in conjunction with guided tools and devices under robotically controller medical procedures, including endoscopes, cameras, cutting tools and catheters. In one embodiment, the steerable instrument includes an elongate body (100), a control wire (110) arranged in a channel (104) of the elongate body and displaceable along the channel to bend the elongate body; and a controller (320) to selectively control drive forces applied to the control wire (110) under an actively controlled mode and a passively controlled mode. In the actively controlled mode, the controller actively bends at least part of the elongate body. In the passively controlled mode, the controller (320) decreases an amount of strain or an amount of displacement of the control wire, so that the control wire becomes compliant to external forces.

Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to detecting malposition of a medical device within a vessel of a patient, such as an Azygos vein. The medical device can include a multi-core optical fiber including a plurality of core fibers, where each of the plurality of core fibers includes a plurality of sensors is configured to reflect a light signal based on received incident light, and change a characteristic of the reflected light signal for use in determining a physical state of the multi-core optical fiber. The system can include a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing a broadband incident light signal to the multi-core optical fiber, receiving reflected light signals, processing the reflected light signals, and determining whether the medical device has entered the Azygos vein of the patient based on the reflected light signals.

The systems and methods of the present disclosure are used for guiding a medical instrument towards a target, the method positioning a medical instrument at a first location within a patient anatomy, wherein the medical instrument comprises at least one sensor, determining a first biomarker measurement using the at least one sensor, determining a second biomarker measurement using the at least one sensor, comparing the first biomarker measurement with the second biomarker measurement to determine a proximity to the target to provide a first comparison, and providing guidance for moving the medical instrument based on results of the first comparison.

A system for navigating to a catheter to a target is disclosed. The system includes a probe and a workstation. The probe is configured to be navigated through a patient’s airways and includes a location sensor. The workstation is in operative communication with the probe. The workstation includes a memory and at least one processor. The memory stores a navigation plan and a program that, when executed by the processor, is configured to generate a 3D rendering of the patient’s airways, generate a view using the 3D rendering, and display the view featuring at least a portion of the navigation plan. Generating the view includes executing a first transfer function for a first range from a distal tip of the location sensor and executing a second transfer function for a second range from the distal tip of the location sensor.

A system is suggested comprising an optical sensing means and a processing unit. The optical sensing means may include an optical guide with a distal end, wherein the optical guide may be configured to be arranged in a device to be inserted into tissue in a region of interest. The processing unit may be configured to receive information of a region of interest including different tissue types as well as of a path through the tissues, to determine a sequence of tissue types along the path, to determine a tissue type at the distal end of the optical guide based on information received from the optical sensing means, to compare the determined tissue type with the tissue types on the path, to determine possible positions of the distal end of the optical guide on the path based on the comparison of tissue types, and to generate a signal indicative for the possible positions.

Surgical sealing ports for use with surgical instruments for access of a natural body orifice are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical sealing port includes a seal housing and at least one retention element. The seal housing is configured to be at least partially disposed within a natural body orifice and defining a plurality of ports. The plurality of ports includes at least one first port configured to control the ingress and egress of fluid between an interior volume of the natural body orifice and an ambient environment, and at least one second port that is configured to form a seal around an instrument inserted therethrough. The at least one retention element is arranged on an exterior surface of the housing and configured to affix the housing to the natural body orifice. Methods for using the same are also provided.

A system for providing a perspective for a virtual image includes an intraoperative imaging system (110) having a transducer (146) configured to generate an image data set for a region. A shape sensing enabled device (102) is configured to have at least a portion of the shape sensing enabled device positioned relative to the region. The shape sensing enabled device has a coordinate system registered with a coordinate system of the intraoperative imaging system. An image generation module (148) is configured to render a virtual image (152) of at least a portion of the region using the image data set wherein the virtual image includes a vantage point relative to a position on the shape sensing enabled device.