A DEVICE

Abstract

A surgical device (204) comprising a first tube (232) having an axis (233) and a wall with a channel extending axially within the wall, the first tube comprising a plurality of integrally-formed interlocking segments (234).

Claims

1. A surgical device comprising a first tube having an axis and a wall with a channel extending axially within the wall, the first tube comprising a plurality of integrally-formed interlocking segments.

2. A surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the first tube comprises: (a) polymer or glass and/or an internal wall.

3. (canceled)

4. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein each interlocking segment comprises: an axial lock component and a tangential lock component at a first end of the interlocking segment; and a complementary axial lock component and a complementary tangential lock component at a second end of the interlocking segment, wherein: an axial lock component of a first interlocking segment is engageable with a complementary axial lock component of a second interlocking segment to form an axial lock that resists separation of the first segment and the second segment in an axial direction; and a tangential lock component of the first interlocking segment is engageable with a complementary tangential lock component of the second segment to form a tangential lock that prevents separation of the first segment and the second segment in a tangential direction.

5. The surgical device of claim 4, wherein each complementary axial lock component comprises a cavity and an opening adjacent to the cavity, wherein a width of the cavity is greater than a width of the opening; and each axial lock component comprises a head and a neck protruding from the head, wherein a width of the neck is less than the width of the opening and a width of the head is greater than the width of the opening and less than the width of the cavity.

6. The surgical device of claim 5, wherein: (a) both the cavity and the head are elliptical, circular or teardrop shaped; (b) each complementary tangential lock component comprises a slot; and/or (c) each tangential lock component comprises a stub with a width less than a width of the slot.

7. (canceled)

8. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein each interlocking segment comprises: a pair of axial lock components; a pair of complementary axial lock components; a pair of tangential lock components; and a pair of complementary tangential lock components.

9. The surgical device of claim 4, wherein: (a) the axial lock component and the complementary axial lock component of each interlocking segment are axially aligned with one another; or (b) the axial lock component and the complementary tangential lock component of each interlocking segment are axially aligned with one another.

10. (canceled)

11. The surgical device claim 1, further comprising: (a) a tendon extending through the channel; (b) a tip section interlocked with a distal end of the first tube and/or (c) a second tube at a proximal end of the first tube, the second tube having an axis and a wall with a spiral channel extending along a spiral path within the wall, the spiral path having: a path axis along an axial length of the second tube; and a radius substantially equal to a cross-sectional radius of the second tube.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. The surgical device of claim 13, wherein the second tube is continuous to and integrally formed with the first tube, the second tube comprises polymer or glass and/or the spiral channel is axially aligned with the channel in the first tube.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. A method of fabricating a surgical device comprising the steps of: providing a first preform having an axis and a wall with a channel extending axially within the wall; drawing the first preform to form a tube having an axis and a wall with a channel extending axially within the wall; and segmenting the tube into a plurality of interlocking segments.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein: (a) the step of drawing the first preform comprises drawing the first preform using a fibre drawing process; and/or the step of providing a first preform comprises providing a first preform comprising polymer or glass.

19. (canceled)

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of providing a first preform comprises providing a first preform comprising an internal wall.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of segmenting the first tube comprises laser cutting the tube to form the interlocking segments.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of segmenting the first tube comprises a mechanical cutting process, a chemical etching process and/or a lithography process.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: supporting the plurality of interlocking segments; applying axial compression to the plurality of interlocking segments; and feeding a tendon through the channel of the first tube.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: providing a second preform having an axis and a wall with a channel extending axially within the wall; drawing the second preform to form a second tube having an axis and a wall with a channel extending axially within the wall and rotating either the second preform or the second tube during the drawing process; and abutting the second tube to the first tube.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of rotating comprises rotating the second preform or the second tube at a constant revolution rate.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein providing the second preform comprises providing a second preform comprising polymer or glass.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of drawing the preform comprises the steps of, in any order: fibre drawing the first preform to form the first tube; and fibre drawing the first preform to form a second tube and rotating either the first preform or the second tube during the drawing of the second tube.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the steps of fibre drawing the first preform to form the first tube and fibre-drawing the first preform to form the second tube, form a continuous fibre drawing process.

Description

[0089] The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0090] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a surgical device, according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, in use during a bronchoscopic intervention;

[0091] FIGS. 2a and 2b are schematic representations of the surgical device of FIG. 1 showing the device in more detail;

[0092] FIGS. 3a to 3c are schematic representation of interlocking segments of the surgical device of FIGS. 2a and 2b.

[0093] FIGS. 3d to 3f illustrate a design of an interlocking segment according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

[0094] FIG. 4a is a schematic representation of the surgical device of FIG. 2a in a bent configuration;

[0095] FIG. 4b is a schematic representation of the surgical device of FIG. 2a in a straight configuration with two tendons extending through two channels.

[0096] FIG. 5a is a schematic representation of a second tube comprising straight channels;

[0097] FIG. 5b is a schematic representation of a second tube comprising spiral channels;

[0098] FIG. 6 is a representation of a method of fabricating the surgical device of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention;

[0099] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a surgical device according to a first aspect of the present invention in use during a bronchoscopic intervention. A flexible bronchoscope 100 is inserted through a patient's mouth and into their right lung 101. The flexible bronchoscope 100 enters into a third-generation bronchiole 110a. The outer diameter of the flexible bronchoscope 100 is too narrow to travel further into the lung 101, such as into a fourth-generation bronchiole 110b or a fifth-generation bronchiole 110c. To access the higher generation bronchii, a flexible manipulator 104 housed inside the flexible bronchoscope 100 is actuated or steered by an operator and guided through the fourth-generation bronchiole 110b into the fifth-generation bronchiole 110c. A proximal end of the flexible manipulator 104 is attached to a flexible shaft 102 which follows the path taken by the flexible manipulator 104. The flexible shaft 102 and the flexible manipulator 104 both comprise an instrument channel through which an instrument 106 can pass through to reach a tissue of interest 108. The instrument 106 can be used to take a biopsy of the tissue of interest 108 or deliver an implant.

[0100] FIGS. 2a and 2b are schematic representations of a surgical device in accordance with another embodiment of the first aspect of the invention. The figures show a surgical device 204 that could be used as the surgical manipulator in the bronchoscope of FIG. 1. FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate the surgical device 204 from a top-viewpoint and a side-viewpoint respectively.

[0101] The surgical device 204 comprises a first tube 232 having an axis 233 and a wall and two channels (not shown) extending axially within the wall. Two tendons 235a, 235b extend through the channels and are secured at a distal end of the first tube 232 by respective ball-head pins 237a, 237b.

[0102] The first tube 232 comprises a plurality of interlocking segments 234. In this embodiment, axial locks 236 comprise an axial lock component 238 and a complementary axial lock component 240. The axial lock component 238 of a first interlocking segment is engageable with the complementary axial lock component 240 of an adjacent second interlocking segment. Axial locks 236 provide axial interlocking between adjacent interlocking segments. The axial locks also provide tangential interlocking in a direction z tangential to a surface at the centre point of the axial lock 236 and perpendicular to the axis 233 of the first tube 232.

[0103] Tangential locks 242 comprise a tangential lock component 244 and a complementary tangential lock component 246. The tangential lock component 244 of the first interlocking segment is engageable with the complementary tangential lock component 246 of the second interlocking segment. The tangential locks 242 provide tangential interlocking in a direction y tangential to a surface at the centre point of the tangential lock 242 and perpendicular to the axis 233 of the first tube 232.

[0104] FIGS. 3a to 3c each illustrate the design of an interlocking segment 334 from the surgical device of FIGS. 2a and 2b. The axial lock component of the interlocking segment 334 comprises a head 338a and a neck 338b protruding from the head 338a. The complementary axial lock component of the interlocking segment 334 comprises a cavity 340a and an opening 340b adjacent to the cavity 340a. In this embodiment, the axial lock component further comprises two wings 338c, each wing 338c located on either side of the head 338a and neck 338b and separated by a gap. The complementary axial lock component further comprises: a C-shaped feature 340c defining an edge of the cavity; and two complementary wing features 340d, with each complementary wing feature 340d located on either side of the C-shaped feature 340c.

[0105] The head 338a and neck 338b of the axial lock component form a keyhole shape. The cavity 340a and opening 340b of the complementary axial lock component form a similar keyhole shape. A width or diameter of the head 338a is similar to but less than a width of the cavity 340a. A width of the neck 338b is narrower than a width of the opening 340b. As a result, the head 338a of a first interlocking segment can rotate inside the cavity of an adjacent second interlocking segment. The extent of rotation is defined by the difference in width between the neck 338b and the opening 340b. In this way, the first interlocking segment can rotate relative to the second interlocking segment about a rotation axis y.

[0106] The tangential lock component of the interlocking segment 334 comprises a stub 344. The complementary tangential lock component comprises a slot 346. A width of the stub 344 is similar to but less than the width of the slot 346. As a result, the stub 344 of a first interlocking segment cannot rotate inside the slot of an adjacent second interlocking segment about a static axis z. In this embodiment, the tangential lock component further comprises two slots 344a, each slot 344a located on either side of the stub 344 of the tangential lock component. The complementary tangential lock component further comprises two stubs 346a, each stub 346a located on either side of the slot 346 of the complementary tangential lock component.

[0107] FIG. 3c illustrates that the interlocking segment 334 comprises a pair of axial lock components 338; a pair of complementary axial lock components 340; a pair of tangential lock components 344; and a pair of complementary tangential lock components 346. The two channels 345a, 345b that accommodate the tendons of FIG. 2 are also visible in the figure. In this embodiment, the channels extend axially through the stubs 344 of the tangential lock component.

[0108] FIGS. 3d to 3f illustrate a design of an interlocking segment 334 according to further embodiment of the invention. The design is similar to that of FIGS. 3a to 3c except that the axial lock in this embodiment does not comprise the additional features of the wings, the complementary wing features, and the C-shape feature, and the tangential lock does not comprise the additional two stubs and two slots.

[0109] Returning to FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the axial lock component 238 and complementary axial lock component 240 of each interlocking segment 234 are axially aligned with one another. As a result, the axial locks 236 between each of the adjacent interlocking segments all have parallel rotation axes, y. The axial locks therefore give rise to bending of the surgical device in one degree of freedom, defined by a plane perpendicular to the axes of rotation (x/z).

[0110] FIG. 4a is a schematic representation of the surgical device of FIG. 2a in a bent configuration. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of interlocking segments 434 is rotated or hinged relative to their adjacent segments. The rotation is facilitated by the axial locks 436 in which the head and neck of each axial lock component 438 is rotated inside the cavity and opening 440 of an adjacent interlocking segment. The figure illustrates the maximum degree of bending in which the rotation in each axial lock 436 is at a maximum. The maximum rotation provided by each axial lock 436 is determined by a relative width difference between the neck of the axial lock component 438 and the opening of the complementary axial lock component 440. The abuttal of a side of the neck against a side of the opening limits the extent of rotation in both directions of rotation.

[0111] The rotation can be actuated by the tendons 435a, 435b fed though the channels of the surgical device 404. In this embodiment, a pair of antagonistic tendons 435a, 435b are accommodated in two channels extending axially within the wall on opposite sides of the surgical device 404. In this embodiment, the channels and tendons 435a, 435b extend axially within the wall through the stubs 444 of the tangential lock components of each interlocking segment, as illustrated in FIG. 4b. The tendons 435a, 435b are secured at the distal end of the first tube 432 by ball head pins 437a, 437b.

[0112] In FIG. 4a, the tendons 435a, 435b run within the wall along the inner radius of curvature and outer radius curvature of the surgical device 404 (as illustrated). In the same way as FIG. 4b, the tendons run through the stubs of each interlocking segment 434 on both sides of the surgical device 404. By applying tension to the tendon 435a, running within the wall on the inner radius of curvature, the surgical device bends as shown. Releasing the tension and applying tension to the other tendon 435b can return the device to the orientation of FIG. 2a and applying further tension can bend the surgical device in the opposite direction (−z) to that shown in FIG. 4.

[0113] FIGS. 5a and 5b are schematic representations of second tubes 502a, 502b with respectively straight and spiral channels extending axially within a wall of the tube. The second tubes 502a, 502b can be used as the flexible shaft in the surgical device of FIG. 1, having a flexible manipulator attached to a distal end of the second tube 502.

[0114] FIG. 5a illustrates a second-tube 502a comprising two straight channels 550a, 550b extending axially within a wall of the second tube 502a. The second tube 502a is illustrated in both a straight and bent configuration. The straight channels 550a, 550b can accommodate tendons (not shown). In the straight configuration, the tendons in each of the straight channels 550a, 550b will be the same length. When the flexible second-tube 502a bends into the bent configuration, the straight channel 550b along the inner radius of curvature will become shorter than the straight channel 550a along the outer radius of curvature. The tendon running through the straight channel 550b along the inner radius of curvature can become slack. At the same time, the tendon running through the straight channel 550a along the outer radius of curvature can become taught. This unwanted tensioning/slackening can influence the bending of a flexible manipulator (such as the one in FIG. 2) attached to the distal end of the second tube 502. Bending of the second tube 502 can be unpredictable as the second tube 502 follows the flexible manipulator through intricate human passage-ways. The unwanted tendon length changes can damage instruments or even harm patients.

[0115] FIG. 5b illustrates a schematic representation of a second-tube 502b for use in a surgical device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the second-tube 502b comprises spiral channels 552a, 552b extending axially within a wall of the second tube 502b. The second tube 502b is illustrated in both a straight and bent configuration. The spiral channels 552a 552b can accommodate tendons (not shown).

[0116] The spiral channels 552a 552b are substantially the same length as each other in both the straight and bent configurations. As a result, the undesirable effects of tendon tensioning and unwanted tendon length changes upon bending of the second tube 502b is reduced in this embodiment.

[0117] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a method of fabricating a surgical device according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, such as the flexible manipulator of FIG. 1. Reference is also made to FIG. 2 in respect of some of the apparatus fabricated by the method.

[0118] The method of FIG. 6 includes a first step 620 of providing a first preform with an axial channel within a wall of the first preform. In a second step 622, the first preform is drawn using a fibre drawing process to form a first tube fibre. The first tube fibre is subsequently cut into lengths to form a first tube 232. The first tube 232 comprises a scaled version of the preform with a scaled channel within a wall of the first tube 232. In a third step 624, the first tube 232 is segmented by laser cutting to form a plurality of interlocking segments 234. In a fourth step 626, the first tube 232 is supported before applying axial compression to the ends of the first tube 232. In a fifth step 628 a tendon is fed through the axial channel of the first tube 232. In a seventh step 630 the tendon is secured at a distal end of the first tube 232.