Articulated surgical tool

Abstract

An articulated surgical tool and method of use are provided. The articulated surgical tool may hold an instrument and a surgical tool and may provide both macro and micro motions in the instrument and/or surgical tool, including by hydraulic operation. The articulated surgical tool may be coupled to a control system, such that manipulation of the control system results in movement of instrument and/or surgical tool, thereby eliminating the need to manually hold and position the instrument and/or surgical tool.

1 . An articulating surgical device, comprising:
 a control portion capable of receiving an input;   a slave portion coupled to the control portion configured to receive the input from the control portion and generate a corresponding output, wherein the slave portion comprises a first slave end coupled to the control portion and a second slave end;   an instrument coupled to the second slave end; and   a surgical tool coupled to the instrument;   wherein the slave portion includes a first series of actuators configured to actuate at least one macro motion in the instrument and the slave portion further includes a second series of actuators configured to actuate at least one micro motion in the surgical tool.   
     
     
         2 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the output is provided via a hydraulic communication. 
     
     
         3 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the macro and micro motions generated via the output of the slave portion corresponding to the received input. 
     
     
         4 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein a coupling mechanism couples operation of the surgical tool and instrument to the control portion via the slave portion and is configured to transfer tactile feedback from the surgical tool to the control portion. 
     
     
         5 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 4 , wherein the coupling mechanism is configured to actuate the first and second actuators of the second slave end. 
     
     
         6 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 5 , wherein the coupling mechanism is hydraulically operated. 
     
     
         7 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the control portion includes a clutch mechanism for de-coupling the slave portion from the control portion. 
     
     
         8 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the first series of actuators include a forward/reverse pivoting actuator operable to produce a forward/reverse pivoting macro motion of the instrument. 
     
     
         9 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 8 , further including a chain mechanism, wherein:
 a first end of the chain mechanism is mechanically coupled to the forward/reverse pivoting actuator;   a second end of the chain mechanism is mechanically coupled to the instrument;   the chain mechanism is operable configured to slide along a curved track; and   the forward/reverse pivoting actuator is configured to actuate the forward/reverse pivoting macro motion of the instrument by causing the chain mechanism to slide along the curved track.   
     
     
         10 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the first series of actuators includes a lateral swivel actuator configured to actuate a lateral swivel macro motion of the instrument. 
     
     
         11 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 10 , further including a screw mechanism, wherein:
 a first end of the screw mechanism is mechanically coupled to the lateral swivel actuator;   a second end of the screw mechanism is mechanically coupled to a shaft oriented along a shaft axis, the shaft being mechanically coupled to the instrument; and   the lateral swivel actuator is configured to actuate the lateral swivel pivoting macro motion of the instrument by causing the screw mechanism to rotate about the shaft axis.   
     
     
         12 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the first series of actuators include an extension/retraction actuator operable to produce an extension/retraction macro motion of the instrument. 
     
     
         13 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 12 , further including an instrument holder mechanism, wherein:
 a first end of the instrument holder mechanism is mechanically coupled to the extension/retraction actuator;   a second end of the instrument holder mechanism is mechanically coupled to the instrument at a first end that is opposite a second end of the instrument, wherein the second end is coupled to the surgical tool;   the instrument holder mechanism is configured to move along a path that is substantially along a direction including the first and second ends of the instrument; and   the extension/retraction actuator is configured to actuate the extension/retraction macro motion of the instrument by causing the instrument holder to move along the path of the instrument holder mechanism.   
     
     
         14 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the second series of actuators include a forearm rotation actuator configured to actuate a forearm rotation of the surgical tool. 
     
     
         15 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 14 , further including a wrist bend mechanism having a wrist joint and a wrist bend actuator, wherein:
 a first end of the wrist bend mechanism is mechanically coupled to the surgical tool;   a second end of the wrist bend mechanism is mechanically coupled to the wrist bend actuator;   the wrist joint connects first and second ends of the wrist bend mechanism; and   the wrist bend mechanism is configured to bend the first end of the wrist bend mechanism about the second end of the wrist bend mechanism using the wrist joint as a pivot point.   
     
     
         16 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the wrist bend actuator includes at least one control cylinder that is operated remotely. 
     
     
         17 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 16 , wherein the wrist bend mechanism includes a control cylinder on at least one side of the wrist joint. 
     
     
         18 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the second series of actuators includes a tip rotation actuator configured to actuate a tip rotation micro motion of the surgical tool. 
     
     
         19 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 18 , further including a tip rotation mechanism, wherein:
 a first end of the tip rotation mechanism is mechanically coupled to the surgical tool;   a second end of the tip rotation mechanism is mechanically coupled to the tip rotation actuator; and   the tip rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the first end of the tip rotation mechanism about a tip rotation axis.   
     
     
         20 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 19 , wherein the tip rotation actuator includes at least one control cylinder that is operated remotely. 
     
     
         21 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 1 , wherein the second series of actuators includes a tip grasp actuator configured to actuate a tip grasp micro motion of the surgical tool. 
     
     
         22 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 21 , wherein the tip grasp actuator includes at least one control cylinder that is operated remotely via micro controls. 
     
     
         23 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 21 , further including a wrist bend mechanism, wherein:
 a first end of the wrist bend mechanism is mechanically coupled to the surgical tool;   a second end of the wrist bend mechanism is mechanically coupled to a wrist bend actuator;   a wrist joint connecting the first and second ends of the wrist bend mechanism; and   the wrist bend mechanism is configured to bend the first end of the wrist bend mechanism about the second end of the wrist bend mechanism using the wrist joint as a pivot point.   
     
     
         24 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 23 , wherein the tip grasp mechanism is configured to open and close the pincer arms when the wrist bend mechanism has bent the first end of the wrist bend mechanism about the second end of the wrist bend mechanism. 
     
     
         25 . The articulating surgical device of  claim 21 , further including a forearm rotation mechanism, wherein:
 a first end of the forearm rotation mechanism is mechanically coupled to the surgical tool;   a second end of the forearm rotation mechanism is mechanically coupled to the instrument; and   the forearm rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the surgical tool about an axis.   
     
     
         26 . An articulating surgical device, comprising:
 a control portion capable of receiving a hydraulically communicated input;   a slave portion coupled to the control portion configured to receive the hydraulically communicated input from the control portion and generate a corresponding output, wherein the slave portion comprises a first slave end coupled to the control portion and a second slave end;   a means for facilitating surgical motion coupled to the second slave end; and   a means for performing surgery coupled to the means for facilitating surgical motion;   wherein the slave portion includes a first means for actuating at least one motion in the means for facilitating surgical motion and the slave portion further includes a second means for actuating at least one motion in the means for performing surgery.   
     
     
         27 . A method of operating an articulating surgical device, comprising:
 receiving, at a slave portion, a hydraulic input from a control portion;   generating, at a slave portion, a corresponding output to the received input;   actuating a first series of actuators to move an instrument operationally coupled to the slave portion, based on the output; and   actuating a second series of actuators to move a surgical tool operationally coupled to the instrument, based on the operation of the first series of actuators.   
     
     
         28 . The method of operating an articulating surgical device of  claim 27 , wherein the instrument is moved in a forward/reverse pivoting manner. 
     
     
         29 . The method of operating an articulating surgical device of  claim 27 , wherein the instrument is moved in a laterally swiveling manner. 
     
     
         30 . The method of operating an articulating surgical device of  claim 27 , wherein the instrument is moved in an extending/retracting manner. 
     
     
         31 . The method of operating an articulating surgical device of  claim 27 , wherein the surgical tool is moved in a rotating manner. 
     
     
         32 . The method of operating an articulating surgical device of  claim 27 , wherein a tip of the surgical tool is moved in a rotating manner. 
     
     
         33 . The method of operating an articulating surgical device of  claim 27 , wherein pincer arms of the surgical tool are moved in an opening/closing manner.