Provided are systems, devices and methods for automated steering of medical instrument in a subject's body for diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes, wherein the steering of the medical instrument within the subject's body is based on a planned 3D trajectory and real-time updating the 3D trajectory, to allow safely and accurately reaching a target within the subject's body.

Provided are systems, devices and methods for assisting a user in positioning an automated medical device on, or in close proximity to, a body of a subject, by simulating the position and orientation of the medical device on one or more images of the subject, and providing the user with instructions regarding the actual positioning of the medical device and/or correction thereof, based on the simulated position and orientation.

A medical puncture device system includes a puncture device, a sensor, and an indicator system. The puncture device is configured to create a puncture through patient tissue and into an internal patient cavity to enable a medical tool to be inserted through the puncture into the cavity. The sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of motion of the puncture device through the tissue into the cavity. The indicator system is operable by a controller to produce human-perceptible feedback in response to the signal generated by the sensor.

In a handle unit for interventional procedure, a master device for interventional procedure, and a remote control interventional procedure system, the handle unit is gripped by an operator. The handle unit includes a gripper, a mode selection module and a linear motion module. The gripper is gripped by the operator. The mode selection module is equipped to the gripper, and selects one of motion modes including a linear motion mode, a rotational motion mode and a plane motion mode. The needle linearly moves with one degree of freedom in the linear motion mode. The needle rotationally moves with two degrees of freedom in the rotational motion mode. The needle moves in a plane with two degrees of freedom in the plane motion mode. The linear motion module performs the linear motion of the needle based on the selection of the mode selection module, and is equipped to the gripper.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a biopsy needle device comprising a biopsy needle attachment mechanism arranged to mechanically couple a biopsy needle to the biopsy needle device, an actuator mechanism comprising a transducer configured to interconnect electrical signals at one port to mechanical motion at another port, the actuator mechanism configured to transmit flexural vibration to the biopsy needle when the biopsy needle is coupled to the biopsy needle device, a sensor device configured to measure a power of the flexural vibration transmitted to the biopsy needle via the transducer and a reflected power of flexural vibration received by the biopsy needle device from the biopsy needle, and circuitry configured to determine a difference between the power of the flexural vibration transmitted to the biopsy needle and the reflected power of flexural vibration received by the biopsy needle device from the biopsy needle.

A system and method for determining position of a steerable assembly within tissue of an animal body utilizes an elongated body structure with an implement arranged at a distal end thereof, and a premagnetized material proximate to the distal end. A signal indicative of a length of insertion of the elongated body structure into the tissue is used with a signal indicative of (i) force, strain, shape of a sensor associated with the elongated body structure and/or (ii) directionality of magnetic field applied to the premagnetized material, to determine a three-dimensional (3D) trajectory of the steerable assembly. The 3D trajectory is superimposed on a 3D model of the tissue to determine position of the steerable assembly within the tissue.

A medical device may include an introducer sheath, having a distal and a proximal end and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end. The introducer sheath may also include a tab formed at the distal end and extending distal to the lumen, and a frangible portion extending between the distal end and the proximal end.

The present invention relates to a medical apparatus which includes a motion mechanism which has at least one degree of freedom, an actuator configured to drive the motion mechanism and a control unit configured to control the actuator, and which operates in a magnetic field environment of an MRI, the medical apparatus including: a data storage unit in which data related to magnetic susceptibility of the actuator is stored; a calculating unit configured to calculate information related to an influence which the actuator exerts upon the magnetic field environment by calculation based on the magnetic susceptibility; and a communication unit configured to output the information to the MRI. An influence which an apparatus which operates in a strong magnetic field environment exerts upon an MR image can be reduced.

Techniques and technologies for guiding medical instruments during medical procedures using real-time imaging technologies are disclosed. A representative apparatus includes a medical instrument, an imaging system, a stage assembly, and a control system. The medical instrument includes an elongated portion configured to be inserted into a body portion and having an optical fiber that includes a tip portion that is extendable beyond a distal end of the elongated portion. The imaging system provides a sampling energy that is emitted from the tip portion. The stage assembly actuates the tip portion to perform scanning of one or more tissues with the sampling energy. The imaging system receives a reflected energy, providing a plurality of one-dimensional arrays of intensity values of the reflected energy. The control system analyzes the plurality of one-dimensional arrays of intensity values to determine a shape and a location of the target tissue, and displays information for guiding the medical instrument into engagement with the target tissue.

The present disclosure relates to an auxiliary device and auxiliary method for epidural anesthesia needle placement, the auxiliary device comprising: a needle placement unit (1), a motion guide unit (2) for driving the needle placement unit into movement, and a control unit (3) for supporting and controlling the motion guide unit (2), the needle placement unit (1) being electrically connected to the control unit (3); the needle placement unit (1) comprises: a first support (11) connected to the motion guide unit (2), a second support (12) slidably connected with the first support (11), a needle placement assembly (13) slidably connected with the second support (12), and a first drive (14) arranged on the first support (11) for driving the second support (12) into motion. The scheme of the present disclosure may perform a real-time multidimensional monitoring to the puncture process, achieving autonomous, precise, safe needle placement and puncture operations.