Intuitive Surgical Patent Grants

Waveband-selective imaging systems and methods

Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number: 12016738
An illustrative surgical system may access a plurality of images captured outside a structure within a patient; detect a difference between spectral reflectances of scenes captured in the plurality of images; and identify, based on the detected difference between the spectral reflectances of the scenes captured in the plurality of images, pixels in at least one of the plurality of images that correspond to structure tissue of the structure.

Surgical drape and systems including surgical drape and attachment sensor

Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number: 12016647
A surgical drape for a patient side cart of a teleoperated surgical system may comprise a body sized and shaped to cover at least a portion of an arm or main column of the patient side cart, and an attachment device feature connected to the body, the attachment device feature being configured to install the surgical drape to the arm or main column so as to cover at least a portion of the arm or main column with the surgical drape. In an installed position of the surgical drape on the arm…

Layered functionality for a user input mechanism in a computer-assisted surgical system

Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number: 12016646
A computer-assisted surgical system includes a function selection system configured to detect an actuation and a de-actuation of a user input mechanism associated with a user control mechanism for controlling a surgical instrument coupled to a manipulator arm of a computer-assisted surgical system, the user input mechanism configured to facilitate activation and deactivation of a clutch mode of operation in which the user control mechanism is decoupled from controlling the surgical…

Artificial intelligence guidance system for robotic surgery

Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number: 12016644
This invention is a system and method for utilizing artificial intelligence to operate a surgical robot (e.g., to perform a laminectomy), including a surgical robot, an artificial intelligence guidance system, an image recognition system, an image recognition database, and a database of past procedures with sensor data, electronic medical records, and imaging data. The image recognition system may identify the tissue type present in the patient and if it is the desired tissue type, the…

Flexible surgical devices

Granted: June 25, 2024
Patent Number: 12016539
A method for operating a medical device includes measuring a configuration of a tube, receiving a desired configuration of the tube, determining an actuation input to bend the tube to the desired configuration, and transmitting the actuation input to at least one force transmission element that is actuatable to alter the tube between a flexible state and a stiffened state. Altering the tube from the flexible state to the stiffened state includes simultaneously applying first and second…

Systems and methods for using tracking in image-guided medical procedure

Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number: 12011232
A system includes a medical instrument, a teleoperation manipulator, an optical tracking sensor, and a control system. The medical instrument includes an elongated flexible body, a rigid proximal body comprising a reference portion, and a shape sensor having a reference point. The control system is configured to: track, with the optical tracking sensor, a first set of optical fiducials on a patient anatomy and a second set of optical fiducials on the reference portion; determine, using…

Ratcheting for master alignment of a teleoperated minimally invasive surgical instrument

Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number: 12011244
A teleoperated system includes a robotic arm configured to support an instrument, a grip configured to be manipulated by an operator to command motion of the instrument, and a control system communicatively coupled to the robotic arm and the grip. To align the grip with the instrument by the grip, the control system is configured to determine grip rotation values describing an orientation of the grip, determine instrument rotation values describing an orientation of the instrument,…

Computer-assisted tele-operated surgery systems and methods

Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number: 12011242
Systems and methods for minimally invasive computer-assisted telesurgery are described. For example, this disclosure provides surgical instruments and instrument drive systems for computer-assisted tele-operated surgery that are structured and operated to negate the effects of cable stretch within the surgical instruments.

Flexible instrument with grooved steerable tube

Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number: 12011241
A minimally invasive medical instrument comprises an elongate flexible body comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, a transition portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion, and an inner sheath extending at least within the proximal portion. The inner sheath comprises a plurality of conduits extending through a wall of the inner sheath. A distal end of each conduit terminates at the transition portion. The flexible body further comprises a steerable tube…

Systems and methods for rendering alerts in a display of a teleoperational system

Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number: 12011236
A method comprises displaying a surgical environment image. The surgical environment image includes a field of view image obtained by a first imaging system. The method also includes receiving alert information and providing an alert indication, based upon the alert information, within the surgical environment image by altering a portion of the surgical environment image.

Surgical stapling instrument

Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number: 12011168
A surgical instrument includes an elongate shaft and an end effector. The end effector includes a jaw, and a coupling member configured to receive a first and second reload and to removably couple the first and second reload to the end effector. The coupling member is configured to retain the first reload in a closed position relative to the jaw such that the jaw and the first reload have a tissue gap therebetween. The coupling member is configured to retain the second reload in a closed…

System and method for variable velocity instrument

Granted: June 18, 2024
Patent Number: 12011167
A system and method of variable velocity control of an instrument by a computer-assisted device includes a computer-assisted device that includes an actuator and one or more processors. To perform an operation with an instrument coupled to the computer-assisted device, the one or more processors are configured to set a velocity set point of the actuator to an initial velocity, monitor force or torque applied by the actuator to actuate the instrument, when the applied force or torque is…

Systems and methods for holding a flexible elongate device in a pose

Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number: 12004710
Stiffening mechanisms or systems that assist or enable holding a pose or shape of a flexible body may be part of a steering mechanism for an end effector. The stiffening mechanisms may be separately actuated and/or may themselves also enable steering of a flexible elongate device. Further, the stiffening mechanisms may use information from sensor systems, such as a shape sensor in the form of an optical fiber, a plurality of EM sensors distributed along the length of a flexible device,…

Mounting teleoperated surgical arms

Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number: 12004912
A medical device system includes: an auxiliary rail including a frame and a flange extending from the frame; and a surgical arm mounting device including a coupler and a surgical arm interface. The frame is configured to be mounted on a side rail of an operating table. The coupler includes a clamp for the flange of the auxiliary table rail. The clamp of the coupler has a first mechanical state in which the mounting device is fixed to the auxiliary rail and a second mechanical state in…

Medical tools having tension bands

Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number: 12004834
A medical device includes a first link, a second link, and a band. A proximal end portion of the first link is coupled to a shaft. A proximal end portion of the second link is rotatably coupled to a distal end portion of first link about a first axis. The distal end portion of the second link includes a connector coupled to a tool member that is rotatable relative to the second link about a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis. The first link defines a first guide channel…

Rotatable carriage for an instrument holder

Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number: 12004832
An instrument holder generally includes a carriage support having an output drive and a carriage configured to removably couple an instrument thereto, the carriage may have a lateral opening extending radially outward from a central axis of the carriage, and the lateral opening may be configured to receive a portion of the instrument therein. The carriage may further include a positioning member disposed on an outer surface of the such that rotation of the output drive changes an angular…

Systems and methods for monitoring patient motion during a medical procedure

Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number: 12004830
A method of controlling an elongate instrument during a medical procedure involving motion of the elongate instrument relative to a patient is provided. The method includes generating, by a control system, a first model of the elongate instrument, and generating, by the control system, a second model of the elongate instrument based on a reference pose of the elongate instrument. The method further includes comparing, by the control system, the first model with the second model and…

System and method for providing feedback during manual joint positioning

Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number: 12004827
A system and method of providing feedback during manual joint positioning includes a computer-assisted device having an articulated structure including a joint and a control unit coupled to the articulated structure. To provide feedback to a user during manual positioning of the joint by the user, the control unit is configured to provide first haptic feedback indicating that the joint is moving in a correct direction when the joint is moving toward a first target position, provide…

Dual brake setup joint

Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number: 12004826
A system, e.g., a computer-aided medical system, includes a first link, a second link, a joint, and a dual brake assembly. The first link has a first end portion and a second end portion. The second link has a first end portion and a second end portion. The joint is connected to the second end portion of the first link and to the first end portion of the second link. The dual brake assembly is coupled to the first link and to the second link. The dual brake assembly includes a first…

Systems and methods of registration for image-guided surgery

Granted: June 11, 2024
Patent Number: 12004820
A method of registering sets of anatomical data for use during a surgical procedure is provided herein. The method may include segmenting a set of first modality image data representing a model of one or more passageways within a patient and generating a first set of points based on the segmented set of first modality image data representing the model of the one or more passageways. The method may further include determining a set of matches between a second set of points and the first…