A system for performing minimally invasive cardiac procedures. The system includes a pair of surgical instruments that are coupled to a pair of robotic arms. The instruments have end effectors that can be manipulated to hold and suture tissue. The robotic arms are coupled to a pair of master handles by a controller. The handles can be moved by the surgeon to produce a corresponding movement of the end effectors. The movement of the handles is scaled so that the end effectors have a corresponding movement that is different, typically smaller, than the movement performed by the hands of the surgeon. The scale factor is adjustable so that the surgeon can control the resolution of the end effector movement. The movement of the end effector can be controlled by an input button, so that the end effector only moves when the button is depressed by the surgeon. The input button allows the surgeon to adjust the position of the handles without moving the end effector, so that the handles can be moved to a more comfortable position. The system may also have a robotically controlled endoscope which allows the surgeon to remotely view the surgical site. A cardiac procedure can be performed by making small incisions in the patient's skin and inserting the instruments and endoscope into the patient. The surgeon manipulates the handles and moves the end effectors to perform a cardiac procedure such as a coronary artery bypass graft.

Method and apparatus for performing minimally invasive cardiac procedures

A robotic system that moves a surgical instrument in response to the actuation of a foot pedal that can be operated by the foot of a surgeon. The robotic system has an end effector that is adapted to hold a surgical instrument such as an endoscope. The end effector is coupled to a robotic arm assembly which can move the endoscope relative to the patient. The system includes a computer which controls the movement of the robotic arm in response to input signals received from the foot pedal.

Automated endoscope system for optimal positioning

This invention is a surgical system (10) that may include a remotely controlled surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may be coupled to a tool driver (1602) that can spin, and actuate the instrument. The instrument may include an actuator rod that is coupled to an end effector (1710), and detachably connected to a push rod (1654). The push rod (1836) can move relative to the handle to actuate the end effector. The end effector may include a fixture that conforms to the shape of a needle (1712). The handle (1812) can be secured to the tool driver by inserting pins into corresponding slots that are located on both the instrument and the tool driver. The instrument can be controlled by an operator through a pair of handles (1806). Each handle may be mechanically balanced by a counterweight. The surgical system may also include a touch pad (1808) that allows the operator to enter parameters of the system.

Method and apparatus for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures

A system for performing minimally invasive cardiac procedures includes a pair of surgical instruments coupled to a pair of robotic arms with end effectors that can be manipulated to hold and suture tissue. The robotic arms are coupled to a pair of master handles by a controller to produce a corresponding movement of the end effectors. The movement of the handles is scaled such that the end effectors movement corresponds differently, typically smaller, than the movement performed by the hands of the surgeon. The input button allows the surgeon to adjust the position of the handles without moving the end effector, so that the handles can be moved to a more comfortable position. The system may include a robotically controlled endoscope allowing the surgeon to remotely view a surgical site. The surgeon may manipulate handles and move end effectors to perform a cardiac procedure.

Medical robotic arm that is attached to an operating table

Surgical methods and devices allow closed-chest surgery to be performed on a heart of a patient while the heart is beating. A region of the heart is stabilized by engaging a surface of the heart with a stabilizer without having to stop the heart. Motion of the target tissues is inhibited sufficiently to treat the target tissues with robotic surgical tools which move in response to inputs of a robotic system operator. A stabilizing surface of the stabilizer is coupled to a drive system to position the surface from outside the patient, preferably by actuators of the robotic servomechanism. Exemplary stabilizers includes a suture or other flexible tension member spanning between a pair of jointed bodies, allowing the member to occlude a coronary blood vessel and/or help stabilize the target region between the stabilizing surfaces.

Stabilizer for robotic beating-heart surgery

During surgery, a physician speaks commands that are received by a microphone (10). A speech processor (12) converts audio signals from the microphone into word signals. A command interpreter (14) compares each word signal with a list of previously authorized command words. When the word signal corresponds to one of the preselected command words, a corresponding command signal is generated and sent to a volume imager (18), a video recorder (20), a hard copy, printer (28), or other system component. The volume imager generates an image representation signal indicative of a portion of image data stored therein which is displayed on a video monitor (B) or recorded on the video recorder.

Voice actuated volume image controller and display controller

A CT or other radiographic scanner (A) generates data that is arranged into sets (32). Each set is convolved (40) with a convolution function (42) and backprojected (44) into an image memory (46) along a corresponding one of a plurality of rays. A corresponding gradient image (52) in which each pixel value has either a one or a zero value is forward projected (54) and compared (60) with a standard. The comparison indicates along which rays data sets including bad data were projected. To subtract the bad data contribution from the image, the image representation is forward projected (90) along the identified rays, convolved (40) with a negative of the convolution function (84), and backprojected (44) along the identified ray into the image memory (46). Further correction may be obtained by replacing the subtracted data with interpolated data. To this end, the image representation is again forward projected (90) along the identified ray, convolved (40) with the original selected convolution function (42), and backprojected (44) into the image representation (46) along the identified ray.

Post-processing technique for cleaning up streaks and artifacts in diagnostic images

A C.T. scanner (A) or other medical diagnostic imager generates volume image data which is stored in an image memory (B). An image memory access controller (30) withdraws selected pixel values from the volume image memory which it provides a video processor (20) to formulate the appropriate video signals for display on a video monitor (C). An operator defines a volume on an operator controller (32). A plurality of interconnected polygons define the three-dimensional volume specified by the operator. The video processor converts these defined polygons into an appropriate display on the monitor. The polygons are selected to define a subregion to be viewed. The polygons are rotated about one or more of (x), (y), and (z) axis, scaled, and translated along these axis to select an orientation from which the polygon and enclosed data is to be viewed. The rotation, scaling and translation is stored (38, 40, 42). From each pixel interior to the projection of a visible polygon onto the screen, the coordinates of a sample in the polygon are calculated via the inverse of the stored rotation, scaling, and translation. The CT value of sample and that of its neighbors are retrieved, interpolated, weighted with the surface gradient and illuminated on the screen. The polygons are compared and hidden surfaces removed (54). Retrieved pixel values that correspond to air or other tissue that is not to be viewed rather, the access control means continues to step along the translated and rotated viewing direction ray until a pixel value is found which meets the air and non-viewed tissue viewing criteria (62). For a more lifelike image, shading is added (64) to data corresponding to one or more of the polygons.

Rapid display of rotated and translated three dimensional image representations

A method for approximating X-ray detector data from malfunctioning computed tomography detectors. A view of data is gathered for each of a plurality of detectors in a stationary detector scanner. Data for each malfunctioning detectors is approximated by interpolating data from detectors closely positioned with respect to the malfunctioning detectors after regions of high contrast within a cross-section of interest have been identified.

Malfunctioning computed tomography detector correction method

In a fourth generation CT scanner, source views or data sets are generated for reconstruction processing. A fan beam (16) of radiation rays is rotated around an image region (12) to irradiate subsets of detectors of a detector ring (10). A data sampler (B) samples the detectors of each irradiated subset a plurality of times, each time with the radiation fan beam displaced incremently from the preceding time to generate a plurality of the source views or data sheets from the same detectors. A plurality of consecutive source views or data sets are interleaved to produce a signal interleaved view or data fan. More specifically, the data sets are stored in data set memories (20-26) and interleaved serially into a data fan memory (30). Each time the fan beam rotates sufficiently to irradiate a different detector subset, an additional plurality of data sets are generated and interleaved into another data fan. The data fans are reconstructed (E) into a representation of an image of radiation absorptive properties of an object disposed in the image region. This reconstruction method is especially applicable to cardiac synchronization or gated patient scanning. This method improves the dynamic scan capacity of fourth generation scanners, improves tolerance to detector drifts, and improves tolerance to temporal x-ray fluctuations.

Heang K. Tuy

Papers

Voice actuated volume image controller and display controller

Post-processing technique for cleaning up streaks and artifacts in diagnostic images

Rapid display of rotated and translated three dimensional image representations

Malfunctioning computed tomography detector correction method

Interleaved source fan reconstruction technique