A medical probe includes a guidewire, a guidewire advancement mechanism (GAM), and a middle inflatable balloon. The guidewire is configured for insertion into a lumen of an organ of a patient. The GAM is disposed at a distal end of the guidewire, with the GAM including: (i) a proximal inflatable balloon, (ii) a distal inflatable balloon, and (iii) a middle inflatable balloon that is coupled between the proximal and distal balloons. The proximal, distal and middle balloons are configured to move the guidewire in the lumen by inflating and deflating in a predefined sequence.

An insertable robot for minimally invasive surgery includes a tube array having a guide tube housed within a straightening tube. The guide tube includes a curved working end. The guide tube may be axially translated and rotated relative to the straightening tube such that the curved working end is constrained inside the straightening tube, causing the curved working end to achieve a smaller dimension. The tube array is inserted into a working channel on an endoscope, resectoscope or trocar. Once the tube array is inserted, the curved working end of the guide tube is translated forward beyond the distal end of the working channel, allowing the curved working end to return to its pre-formed shape. A surgical tool is inserted through the guide tube for an operation. The straightening tube allows the guide tube curved working end to be temporarily straightened during insertion and removal of the tube array.

Example embodiments relate to endoscopic systems. The system includes an outer assembly and main assembly. The outer assembly may include proximal and distal ends and outer anchor assembly. The outer anchor assembly may include a first expandable member and first outer pressure opening. The first expandable member may expand radially outwards. The main assembly may include proximal and distal ends and a navigation assembly. The navigation assembly may include an instrument, second expandable member, bendable section, extendible section, and first pressure opening. The extendible section may include proximal and distal ends. The proximal end of the extendible section may be secured in position relative to the distal end of the outer assembly. The extendible section may be configurable to extend and contract. The first main pressure opening may be configurable to apply a negative pressure.

A controller and method for imaging an area of interest of a region within an object using a transoesophageal echo (TEE) probe of a TEE ultrasound acquisition system are 5 provided. The controller includes a memory that stores instructions, and a processor that executes the instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the controller to perform a process including causing a transthoracic echo (TTE) probe of a TTE ultrasound acquisition system to emit an ultrasound beam to a selected area of interest of a region within the object; switching the TEE probe to a listening mode, enabling the 10 TEE probe detect and receive the ultrasound beam emitted by the TTE probe; and causing a robot to steer the TEE probe to an imaging location in the object using the detected TTE ultrasound beam. The TEE probe shows the area of interest using ultrasound images acquired from the imaging location.

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed that help deliver catheters or other medical devices to locations within a patient's body. The device includes a transporter catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, at least a first balloon located at the distal end, substantially at a tip of the transporter catheter, and at least a second balloon located between the distal end and the proximal end of the transporter catheter. The first balloon is an orienting balloon and the second balloon is an anchor balloon. The transporter catheter may include a single lumen or more than one lumen. The transporter catheter may include a shaft comprising an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer may be made of a material more flexible than the material of the outer layer. The outer layer may also include a braided-wire assembly, said braided-wire assembly being formed by braiding a plurality of flat wires or circular wires. The braided-wire assembly may wrap around the inner layer. The transporter catheter may include a shaft that may include a plurality of segments of varying degrees of hardness. The degree of hardness of the segment of the shaft of the transporter catheter located between the first balloon and the second balloon may be less than the degree of hardness of the segment of the shaft between the second balloon and the proximal end of the catheter.

The invention relates to a system (100) for data-dependent automated cannulation of patient blood vessels, in particular for hemodialysis, comprising: at least one cannulation robot (1) configured for automated cannulating of patient blood vessels, a control system (50, 51) comprising at least one data processing device and which is configured to implement a control procedure which controls the at least one cannulation robot subject to program parameters, at least one user interface device (80), enabling user input by means of which a patient is registered in the control system (50, 51), whereby in consequence of this control system registration procedure, an individually assigned patient identifier, which is referred to as the registered patient identifier, is used for the registered patient, and wherein the control system is configured to define the program parameters as a function of the registered patient identifier and control the at least one cannulation robot (1) as a function of the registered patient identifier. The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding method.

An apparatus includes a base and a support including a non-straight channel extending therethrough. An elongated medical device extends through the channel and imparts a first load to a channel wall causing a reaction load on the support. A sensor is configured to measure a reaction load applied to the support.

Provided is a stable mounting for a robotic arm, a tool changer for a robotic arm, a motion restrictor for a robotic-arm controlled steerable tool, a dispenser unit for applying a sterile drape over a robotic arm, and a tool radial actuation assembly (TRAA), a robotic arm fitting radial actuation assembly (FRAA).

A surgical robot system is disclosed. The surgical robot system includes a handheld introducer and a flexible surgical device. A control unit includes a processor, and a memory that stores, among other things, machine readable instructions configured to be executed by a processor to control a flexible surgical device. The surgical robot system also includes an imaging device, and a tracking system. The processor is configured to generate guidance commands to control the flexible surgical device based on information relaying to the images of the flexible surgical device, and the position of at least on point of the handheld introducer.

Embodiments generally relate to propulsion tube units and propulsion devices for progressing instruments along passages, and associated methods of use. For example, the instruments may include, tools, sensors, probes and/or monitoring equipment for medical use (such as endoscopy) or industrial use (such as mining). In some embodiments, the propulsion device may comprise an elongate tube defining a channel configured to accommodate a liquid and a pressure actuator in communication with the channel. The pressure actuator may be configured to selectively adjust a pressure of the liquid in the channel to alternatingly: reduce the pressure to induce cavitation and form gas bubbles in the liquid; and increase the pressure to collapse some or all of the gas bubbles back into the liquid, thereby accelerating at least part of the liquid towards the first end of the tube and transferring momentum to the tube to progress the tube along the passage.