A flexible tube insertion apparatus includes a flexible tube having flexibility and configured to be inserted into an object to be inserted, one or more external force detectors disposed on the flexible tube and configured to detect a force of an external force applied to the flexible tube when the flexible tube is twisted in at least one direction, and a providing device configured to provide twisting information regarding a twisting direction of the flexible tube for releasing a loop section formed in the flexible tube, according to a direction in which the flexible tube is twisted and the detected force of the external force.

An endoscopic examination supporting apparatus includes at least one processor including hardware. The processor acquires insertion shape information indicating an insertion shape of an insertion section of an endoscope inserted into a subject, evaluates, based on the insertion shape information, a procedure including inserting operation for the insertion section performed by a user who operates the endoscope during an endoscopic examination, and generates procedure evaluation information.

A minimally invasive system comprises an elongate medical instrument including a flexible body. The flexible body includes a wall including a channel, and the channel includes a groove. The flexible body further includes a lumen defined by an interior surface of the wall and a curved distal tip portion. The elongate medical instrument further includes a shape sensor coupled to the flexible body. The shape sensor is at least partially positioned within the groove, and the shape sensor is configured to detect shape characteristics of at least a portion of the flexible body. The system further includes an actuator for manipulating the elongate medical instrument.

A method of continuously registering a model of anatomic passageways to a patient space includes: collecting a set of measured points along a flexible catheter as the catheter is inserted into the passageways, the measured points based on a shape of the catheter; assigning each measured point to a respective subset of a plurality of subsets based upon a depth of each measured point within the passageways; comparing the plurality of subsets to identify a first optimal subset; registering the model to the patient space based on a set of model points and the first optimal subset; collecting additional measured points; updating the plurality of subsets by assigning each additional measured point to a respective subset; comparing, after the updating, the plurality of subsets to identify a second optimal subset; and registering the model to the patient space based on the set of model points and the second optimal subset.

A guidewire including an optical fiber containing three fiber cores, each supporting a strain-sensing fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is described. The three FBGs are susceptible to changes in strain so that axial and lateral force vectors imparted to the FBGs can be ascertained. An optical connector detachably connects the guidewire optic fiber to a proximal optical fiber. The proximal optical fiber in turn is connected to a controller, which in addition to ascertaining the axial and lateral force vectors imparted to each of the FBGs, is programmed to calculate the spatial orientation of the guidewire as it is advanced through the vasculature. This capability is extremely useful for positioning the guidewire at a body site of interest prior to performing a medical procedure. A temperature-sensing FBG is used to compensate for changes in the ambient temperature.

A medical system comprises a flexible device configured to be positioned at least partially within an anatomical passageway of a plurality of anatomical passageways within a patient anatomy. The medical system further comprises a memory device including computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions are for performing operations comprising determining a deformation force exerted by a section of the flexible device. The operations further comprise registering a model of a candidate anatomical passageway of the plurality of anatomical passageways to a model of the flexible device based on: a shape of the flexible device; and the deformation force exerted by the section of the flexible device.

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 method of compressing tissue during a surgical procedure is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a surgical instrument comprising an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, establishing a communication pathway between the surgical instrument and a surgical hub, and inserting the surgical instrument into a surgical site. The method further comprises compressing tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw, determining a location of the compressed tissue with respect to at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw, communicating the determined location of the compressed tissue to the surgical hub, and displaying the determined location of the compressed tissue on a visual feedback device.

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for control over automated movement of catheters and other elongate bodies. Fluid and/or pull-wire drive systems can be used to provide robotically coordinated lateral bending motions and a processor of the system can generate synchronized actuator drive signals to move the tool along an at least partially laterally constrained path, with the path optionally extending along the axis of a virtual model of the catheter that has been driven in silico into alignment with a target tissue adjacent an open workspace such as an open chamber of the heart.

Disclosed herein is a system and method directed to detecting placement of a medical device within a patient body, where the system includes a medical device including an optical fiber having core fibers. Each of the one or more core fibers includes a plurality of sensors that can be configured to reflect a light signal having an altered characteristic due to strain experienced by the optical fiber. The system further includes logic that can be configured to determine a 3D shape of the medical device in accordance with the strain of the optical fiber. The logic can further be configured to (i) define a reference frame for the 3D shape, and (ii) render an image of the 3D shape on a display of the system in accordance with the reference frame.