Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enhancing the reliability of a pneumatically driven surgical tool by providing a redundant, backup pneumatic circuit for supplying the surgical tool with pneumatic pressure at a normal pressure.

A surgical robot includes a main body portion, an arm provided on the main body portion to hold an endoscope, an attachment member that detachably attached the main body portion to a table portion of a bed, and a vertical drive mechanism that allows the main body portion to move along a first direction perpendicular to the table portion. The arm is pneumatically driven.

A floating drive for a medical robot includes an actuator that drives a rod forward and backward in a first direction, a manipulation member that operates with driving force of the actuator, and a transmission member that is located between the actuator and the manipulation member and that is engaged with the rod to transmit an operation of the rod to the manipulation member. The transmission member is restricted in its displacement having a component in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the transmission member is separated from the rod in the second direction and transmitting force in the first direction from the rod to the manipulation member.

A pneumatic drive for a medical robot includes a manifold having cylinders extending in a first direction, and respective rods corresponding to the cylinders, the rods extending on one side of the cylinders in the first direction. The manifold includes air supply ports that feed the cylinders with air for moving the respective rods forward and backward. The air supply ports are provided on another side of the manifold in the first direction.

A surgery-assisting device includes a robot arm that includes plural movable bodies that are operably connected in order in a connecting direction, a surgical instrument connected to a distal end of the robot arm, and one or more actuators that generate a driving force that operates one or more of the movable bodies. The movable bodies include one or more distal-side movable bodies that is provided distally in the connection direction, and one or more proximal-side movable bodies that is provided proximally in the connection direction. An operation tolerance of the one or more distal-side movable bodies is higher than an operation tolerance of the one or more proximal-side movable bodies.

An exemplary hand-held, power operated rotary knife dermatome comprises a blade housing assembly and a depth gauge assembly. The blade housing assembly includes an annular blade housing and a blade lock ring for rotatably supporting an annular rotary knife blade. The annular blade housing includes a shield extending radially inwardly from a blade receiving body and including an inner wall defining a tissue directing surface, the tissue directing surface including a first tissue guide surface extending upwardly from a lower end of the shield, the first tissue guide surface extending substantially parallel to the blade housing axially extending center line. The blade receiving body includes an annular blade channel extending axially upwardly from a lower surface of the blade receiving body, a bearing surface axially spaced from a lower surface of the blade receiving body, and a threaded portion formed on the outer surface of the annular blade housing.

Limited physical access to target organs of patients inside an MRI scanner is a major obstruction to real-time MRI-guided interventions. Traditional teleoperation technologies are incompatible with the MRI environment and although several solutions have been explored, a versatile system that provides high-fidelity haptic feedback and access deep inside the bore remains a challenge. A passive and nearly frictionless MRI-compatible hydraulic teleoperator is provided designed for in-bore biopsies. A needle driver translates a needle in insertion and retraction directions via a clutch mechanism. A needle holder grips the needle via a retraction lock when the clutch mechanism of the needle driver releases the needle to hold a position of the needle during reposition of the needle driver.

The present specification is directed towards catheter devices having expandable and collapsible lumens. Air or fluid is pumped into the catheter wall to cause it to expand. Alternatively, wires are embedded within the wall and a direction of flow of electrical current through the wires is modulated to enable the catheter device to be in the collapsed or expanded state. For example, a first wire is embedded within the wall and is helically wound along a length of the catheter device. A second wire is provided that can be removably positioned within the lumen. The direction of flow of electric current through the first and second wires is modulated to enable the catheter device to be in the collapsed or expanded state.

A medical device for making foam includes a syringe having a plunger for dispensing a liquid from a liquid dispensing port, and a mixing chamber including a mixing chamber inlet, a mixing chamber outlet, a liquid flow channel extending between the mixing chamber inlet and the mixing chamber outlet, and a gas inlet channel that intersects with the liquid flow channel. The system has a gas cartridge containing the gas, a first gas conduit connected with the syringe, and a second gas conduit connected with the gas inlet channel. An actuator is coupled with the gas cartridge for releasing the gas into the first and second gas conduits. The released gas in the first gas conduit forces the plunger toward the liquid dispensing port for dispensing the liquid from the liquid dispensing port and into the liquid flow channel while the released gas in the second gas conduit flows into the gas inlet channel of the mixing chamber for mixing with the liquid in the liquid flow channel.

A retraction device, e.g., a programmable stiffness state tissue displacement device, for providing increased visibility during an operation is provided. The device includes one or more strips of compliant jammable layer components connected in parallel, and encapsulated within a flexible envelope such that each of the one or more strips of compliant jammable layer components are pneumatically connected. The device further includes a negative pressure pump coupled to the flexible envelope, such that the application of negative pressure to the flexible envelope by the negative pressure pump causes the one or more strips of compliant jammable layer components to jam and thereby transition the retraction device from a malleable state to a rigid state.