Optical fiber with microgratings for increased measurable strain range
Granted: September 19, 2023
Patent Number:
11761797
An optical fiber with one or more microgratings is disclosed. Methods and apparatus are described for making an optical fiber with one or more microgratings. Methods and apparatus are described for an optical fiber with one or more microgratings Optical sensing methods and an optical sensing system effectively decouple strain range from the laser tuning range, permit the use of a smaller tuning range without sacrificing strain range, and compensate for ambiguity in phase measurements…
Micro optic assemblies and optical interrogation systems
Granted: September 19, 2023
Patent Number:
11761754
Example embodiments include an optical assembly for an optical interrogation system having a single core or a multicore sensing fiber, a measurement fiber to couple light into the sensing fiber, and a reference fiber arranged with the measurement fiber as part of an optical interferometer. A beam splitter combines light from the sensing fiber and with light from the reference fiber. A polarization beam splitting prism separates the combined light into first polarized light and second…
System and method for registering to a table
Granted: September 19, 2023
Patent Number:
11759265
Techniques for registering a computer-assisted device to a table include a computer-assisted device having an articulated arm and a control unit coupled to the articulated arm. The control unit is configured to receive information of a first motion of a table. The first motion of the table caused a corresponding second motion of a point associated with the articulated arm. The control unit further configured to receive information of the second motion and determine a first angular…
Systems and methods of registration compensation in image guided surgery
Granted: September 19, 2023
Patent Number:
11759262
A method performed by a computing system comprises receiving shape information for an elongate flexible portion of a medical instrument. The medical instrument includes a reference portion movably coupled to a fixture having a known pose in a surgical reference frame. The fixture includes a constraint structure having a known constraint structure location in the surgical reference frame. The elongate flexible portion is coupled to the reference portion and is sized to pass through the…
Electrode configurations for electrical flux delivery instruments, and related systems and methods
Granted: September 19, 2023
Patent Number:
11759250
An electrosurgical instrument may comprise a pair of jaw members configured to move between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the pair of jaw members may be configured to exert a gripping force on material placed between working surfaces of the pair of jaw members. A first jaw member of the pair of jaw members may comprise a first electrode, and a second jaw member of the pair of jaw members may comprise a second electrode and a third electrode.
Surgical system sterile drape
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11684439
A drape includes a first drape portion configured to receive a manipulator arm of a surgical system and a pocket coupled to a distal portion of the first drape portion. The pocket is configured to receive a manipulator of the surgical system. The pocket includes a flexible membrane positionable between an output of the manipulator and an input of a surgical instrument mountable to the manipulator. In some embodiments, the flexible membrane is located at a distal end of the pocket. In…
Systems and methods for synchronizing nodes of a robotic system
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11687556
A publishing node comprises one or more processors and a first synchronization database. The first synchronization database comprises a subscriber list of a plurality of subscribers, a plurality of first attributes and a plurality of first flags. The publishing node publishes, to a first subscriber from the plurality of subscribers, one or more of the first attributes having a respective one of the first flags set. The respective one of the first flags associates a respective one of the…
Image capture device with reduced fogging
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11686995
An image capturing device comprises an elongated body, an imaging window coupled to a distal end of the elongated body, and a heat source within the elongated body. The heat source is configured to apply heat to the imaging window to remove condensation from or prevent condensation from forming on the imaging window.
Catheter with removable vision probe
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11684758
A robotic system comprises an instrument including proximal distal sections. The distal section comprises a steerable segment and a distal tip. The instrument also includes a main lumen and a pull wire. The system also comprises a sensor to detect a position of the distal tip of the instrument and a computing device that causes the system to record a position of a working configuration of the distal tip, determine, based on a sensor signal, a movement of the distal tip in response to…
Device with active brake release control
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11684448
A computer-assisted device includes a plurality of articulated arms and a control unit. Each articulated arm has a plurality of brakes. The control unit is configured to determine a plurality of timing windows based on a time period for brake release and a number of articulated arms comprising the plurality of articulated arms. The plurality of timing windows include a timing window for each articulated arm of the plurality of articulated arms. The control unit is further configured to…
Visual detection of electrocautery arcing
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11684438
Methods and systems for detecting undesirable electrocautery arcing events during an electrocautery surgical procedure may include introducing an electrosurgical treatment instrument to a surgical site to perform an electrocautery surgical procedure. A healthcare provider may view the surgical site with a surgical camera assembly having a surgical field-of-view. The healthcare provider also may view a portion of the electrosurgical treatment instrument with an electrocautery arc…
Surgical instrument guide with insufflation channels
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11684389
A cannula and instrument guide assembly includes a cannula with a proximal portion and a tube. An instrument guide is removably inserted into the proximal portion of the cannula and extends through the cannula to a distal end of the tube. The proximal portion of the cannula has an insufflation port. The instrument guide provides at least one interior passageway to support a shaft of a surgical instrument that passes through the instrument guide. One or more channels on an outer surface…
Surgical instrument with single drive input for two end effector mechanisms
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11684381
Methods for treating tissue, and surgical assemblies and related methods are disclosed in which a single input is used to sequentially articulate two members. A medical device includes an input link movable through an input link range of motion, a jaw coupled with the input link, and a tissue manipulation member coupled to the input link and positioned to manipulate a tissue gripped by the jaw. The input link range of motion includes a first portion and a second portion. The input link…
Wound retractor clamp
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11684354
A wound retractor clamp includes an annular clamp body including a periphery configured to surround a proximal end of a wound retractor, and one or more resilient members connected to the periphery of the clamp body. The one or more resilient members deflect radially outward upon engagement of the clamp body with the wound retractor. The one or more resilient members snap onto the wound retractor and secure the clamp body to the wound protector subsequent to the engagement of the clamp…
Stiffening assembly
Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number:
11684243
A stiffening assembly comprises an outer tube including a longitudinal axis, an inner tube extending along the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of laminar elements between the outer tube and the inner tube and separate from the outer tube and the inner tube. The stiffening assembly is adjustable between a flexible state in which each laminar element of the plurality of laminar elements is movable and a stiffened state in which an applied vacuum clamps the plurality of laminar elements…
Systems and methods for use of a variable stiffness flexible elongate device
Granted: June 20, 2023
Patent Number:
11678788
The following describes various applications and uses for a controllably rigidizable flexible device or sheath. Such rigidizing mechanisms can allow for a transition between a rigid state and a flexible state of a sheath. Rigidization can be applied along an entire length of a flexible sheath or along select portions of the sheath, and the rigidization can be of varying stiffness. Rigidization can be user controlled or automatically controlled using computer processes.
Fake blood for use in simulated surgical procedures
Granted: June 20, 2023
Patent Number:
11682319
Artificial blood compositions for use in simulated surgery, and kits including the compositions, are disclosed. Tissues, organs, and organ blocks which include dissolvable clots are also disclosed. Further disclosed are methods for carrying out simulated surgical procedures using the compositions, tissues, organs, organ blocks, and kits described herein.
Systems and methods for controlling a robotic manipulator or associated tool
Granted: June 20, 2023
Patent Number:
11679499
A system includes a robotic manipulator including a serial chain comprising a first joint, a second joint, and a first link. The system further includes a processing unit including one or more processors. The processing unit is configured to receive first link data from a first sensor system located at the first link, generate a first joint state estimate of the first joint based on the first link data, and generate a second joint state estimate of the second joint. The processing unit…
Surgical cannula mounts and related systems and methods
Granted: June 20, 2023
Patent Number:
11678945
A cannula mount for a surgical system includes pivotable clamping arm with a first feature configured to engage a second feature of the cannula positioned in the cannula mount. The clamping arm comprises a cam follower surface. The cannula mount further comprises a latch member movable between at least a first position and a second position, and the latch member comprises a cam surface. On the condition that the latch member is in the first position, the cam surface engages the cam…
Systems and methods for deformation compensation using shape sensing
Granted: June 20, 2023
Patent Number:
11678813
A method and medical system for estimating the deformation of an anatomic structure that comprises generating a first model of at least one anatomical passageway from anatomical data describing a patient anatomy and determining a shape of a device positioned within the branched anatomical passageways. The method and medical system also comprise generating a second model of the plurality of branched anatomical passageways by adjusting the first model relative to the determined shape of…
