A steering catheter includes an elongate shaft with an actively steerable distal part. An internal pull wire and an external pullwire extend through the shaft. The shaft has a first position in which the elongate shaft is generally straight and the external pullwire extends along the exterior of the distal portion of the shaft, a second position in which the shaft is curved and in which the external pullwire extends along the exterior of the distal portion of the shaft, and a third position in which the shaft is curved and in which the external pullwire extends laterally between laterally adjacent portions of the distal portion of the shaft, wherein the external pull wire locks the shaft in the curved position.

This invention is directed to a medical device having an elongate shaft having a distal end and a controller coupled to the shaft. A control member can extend through at least part of the elongate shaft and at least part of the controller, wherein the control member in a tensioned configuration can be moveable by the controller to control the distal end of the shaft and the control member can be slack in an untensioned configuration. A tensioning mechanism can be configured to move relative to at least one of the elongate shaft and the controller to tension the control member and automatically lock the control member in the tensioned configuration.

A method, apparatus and computer readable medium for schematically representing a spatial position of an instrument used in a robotic surgery system is disclosed. The instrument includes an end effector coupled to a positioning device for spatially positioning the end effector in a surgical workspace in response to input signals generated by movement of a hand controller of an input device in an input device workspace. The method involves causing a processor circuit to calculate a current three-dimensional spatial position of the instrument within the surgical workspace for current input signals received from the input device. The method also involves causing the processor circuit to generate display signals for displaying a graphical depiction of the surgical workspace on a display in communication with the processor circuit, the graphical depiction including a planar representation includes an instrument movement region having a boundary indicating limitations to transverse movement of the instrument within the surgical workspace, and a two-dimensional projection of the current spatial position of the positioning device and the end effector onto the planar representation.

A hooked surgery camera for use in surgical robotic systems includes a hook coupled to a side or end of a camera body, for attaching the camera to tissue during a surgery. The camera also includes a lens on another end of the camera body, and electronic components inside the camera body. The electronic components include a battery, a digital camera module and a wireless data transmitter. The hooked surgery camera provides a supplementary view of the surgical site, that is from a different perspective than the view provided by an endoscope, during laparoscopic surgeries. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

An apparatus and method for an articulating microsurgical instrument is disclosed herein. The articulating microsurgical instrument may be configured to be operable with a Doppler probe, bone grasper, soft tissue grasper/dissector, scissors, flexible forceps, or a suction/irrigation line configured to provide tools within a surgical location that can be adjusted to a desired angle of operation. A tip assembly may comprise an articulating portion at a distal tip and the articulating portion may be configured to deflect upon actuation of an articulation control. The articulation control may be a trigger assembly or a roller wheel. A bayonet-style handle may include a set of posts configured to interact with the one or more control wires during actuation of the articulation control. One or more control wires may be housed in a lumen and actuated using a articulation control of a handle assembly.

Apparatus for performing a minimally-invasive procedure, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; a handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft; and an end effector attached to the distal end of the shaft; wherein the shaft comprises a flexible portion, a first articulating portion and a second articulating portion, wherein the flexible portion extends distally from the handle, the first articulating portion extends distally from the flexible portion, and the second articulating portion extends distally from the first articulating portion; wherein at least one articulation cable extends from the handle to the first articulating portion, such that when tension is applied to the at least one articulation cable, the first articulating portion deflects; wherein a plurality of articulation cables extend from the handle to the second articulating portion, such that when tension is applied to at least one of the plurality of articulation cables, the second articulating portion deflects.

A surgical instrument includes a housing including an actuator disposed thereon and an elongated shaft extending therefrom. The elongated shaft includes an end effector assembly including a pair of opposing jaw members including a knife channel defined therein. An articulation section is disposed between the housing and the end effector assembly and is configured to articulate the end effector assembly upon actuation of the actuator, the articulating section and a proximal end of the knife channel defining a first distance therebetween. A knife assembly includes a knife having a length, the proximal end including an engagement feature disposed thereon. A knife drive rod is configured to engage the engagement feature to secure the knife drive rod to the knife such that the distal end of the knife extends beyond the engagement feature and wherein the knife length is less than the length of the first distance.

A knife assembly for use with a surgical instrument includes a knife having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end including an aperture defined therein having a series of spaced apart fins extending thereacross. A knife drive rod is included and is configured to operably engage the fins to secure the knife drive rod to the knife. A retention mechanism is operably disposed at a distal end of the knife drive rod and is configured to secure the knife drive rod in engagement between the fins.

Disclosed is an apparatus for operation that can be inserted into an incision hole in spinal endoscopic surgery. An apparatus for operation includes a rod, a rotating part rotatably connected to the rod, and a bending part connected to the rotating part and bendable, in which the bending part includes a plurality of links being in rolling contact with each other, and a plurality of wires connecting the plurality of links.

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.