US2020054315A1PendingUtilityA1

Methods and devices to decrease tissue trauma during surgery

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Assignee: PHYSCIENT INCPriority: Apr 13, 2009Filed: Aug 5, 2019Published: Feb 20, 2020
Est. expiryApr 13, 2029(~2.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Charles Anthony PellHugh Charles Crenshaw
A61B 2017/00181A61B 2017/00544A61B 17/0206A61B 17/025A61B 2562/0219A61B 2017/00734A61B 2017/00323A61B 2017/0256A61B 17/0218A61B 5/0051A61B 2017/00398A61B 17/0293A61B 7/00A61B 2090/065A61B 2017/00557A61B 90/03A61B 2017/00314A61B 5/7239A61B 17/12136A61B 2017/00172A61B 17/02A61B 2017/0262A61B 2090/0809A61B 2090/064A61B 5/442A61B 2017/00539A61B 2017/0225A61B 2017/00022A61M 25/104
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Claims

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed to reduce tissue trauma when a physician retracts a patient's tissues for surgery. A device includes a tissue engager adapted to engage a patient's tissue, a control system adapted to control the tissue engager to deform the patient's tissue, and a sensor adapted to produce a first signal based on a status of the tissue engager. The control system is operatively associated with a motive source and the sensor. The control system is configured to receive the first signal based on the status of the at least one tissue engager, and control, in light of the first signal based on the status of the at least one tissue engager, the at least one motive source in order to control the motion of the at least one tissue engager. The motion of the at least one tissue engager may be an oscillating motion.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated device to achieve surgical access by deforming a patient's tissues with reduced tissue trauma, comprising:
 a device body;   at least one tissue engager operatively associated with the device body, wherein the at least one tissue engager can move relative to the device body, wherein the at least one tissue engager is configured to engage and displace at least one of a patient's tissues, and wherein the at least one tissue engager has a status;   at least one motive source operatively associated with the device body and operatively associated with the at least one tissue engager, and wherein the at least one motive source has a motion state;   at least one sensor operatively associated with the device body, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to produce a first signal based on the status of the at least one tissue engager; and   an automated control system operatively associated with the device body, wherein the automated control system:
 is operatively associated with the at least one motive source, 
 is operatively associated with the at least one sensor, and is configured to receive the first signal based on the status of the at least one tissue engager, 
 is configured to control, in light of the first signal based on the status of the at least one tissue engager, the at least one motive source in order to control the motion of the at least one tissue engager, and 
 wherein the motion of the at least one tissue engager is an oscillating motion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating motion of the at least one tissue engager has an oscillation frequency and an oscillation amplitude. 
     
     
         3 . The automated device as in  claim 2 , wherein the oscillation frequency of the oscillating motion of the at least one tissue engager is between 1 Hertz and 20,000 Hertz. 
     
     
         4 . The automated device as in  claim 2 , wherein the oscillation amplitude of the oscillating motion of the at least one tissue engager is between 20 micrometers and 20 millimeters. 
     
     
         5 . The automated device as in  claim 2 , wherein the oscillation frequency of the oscillating motion of the at least one tissue engager is between 10 Hertz and 500 Hertz. 
     
     
         6 . The automated device as in  claim 2 , wherein the oscillation amplitude of the oscillating motion of the at least one tissue engager is between 1 millimeter and 10 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The automated device as in  claim 2 , wherein the oscillation frequency is between 50 Hertz and 300 Hertz, and the oscillation amplitude is between 1 millimeter and 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the displacement of the patient's tissues effects a separation of apposed tissues. 
     
     
         9 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one tissue engager is dull. 
     
     
         10 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device body further comprises an instrument handle configured for use by a surgeon. 
     
     
         11 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the automated device is configured for use by a remote operator. 
     
     
         12 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device body is configured for use by a second, external automated system. 
     
     
         13 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the automated device is configured for use by a combination of a surgeon and a second, external automated system. 
     
     
         14 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the device body is configured for use by a fully automated system. 
     
     
         15 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the automated control system employs an algorithm. 
     
     
         16 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the automated control system is a microprocessor. 
     
     
         17 . The automated device as in  claim 16 , wherein the microprocessor receives input from the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the automated control system includes a servo-controller. 
     
     
         19 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one motive source includes an electric motor and an operatively associated source of electric power. 
     
     
         20 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one motive source is a servo-motor. 
     
     
         21 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tissue engager further includes an elastic element. 
     
     
         22 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one motive source further includes an elastic element. 
     
     
         23 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the first signal based on the status of the at least one tissue engager is derived from the motion state of the at least one motive source. 
     
     
         24 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the first signal based on the status of the at least one tissue engager is apprehended via the motion state of the at least one motive source. 
     
     
         25 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tissue engager automatically orients when loaded by the patient's tissues to be deformed. 
     
     
         26 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the patient's tissues include at least one vessel. 
     
     
         27 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the patient's tissues include at least one nerve. 
     
     
         28 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the patient's tissues include at least one fibrous tissue. 
     
     
         29 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the patient's tissues include at least one fibrous capsule. 
     
     
         30 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the patient's tissues include at least one fascia. 
     
     
         31 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the patient's tissues include at least one soft tissue. 
     
     
         32 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the patient's tissues include at least one muscle. 
     
     
         33 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tissue engager further comprises a rotational axis, and where the motion of the at least one tissue engager is a rotation about the rotational axis relative to the device body. 
     
     
         34 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tissue engager further comprises a translational axis, and where the motion of the at least one tissue engager is a translation along the translational axis relative to the device body. 
     
     
         35 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tissue engager further comprises a translational axis and a rotational axis, and where the at least one tissue engager is configured to be able to move along the translational axis and about the rotational axis. 
     
     
         36 . The automated device as in  claim 35 , where the automated control system controls the motion of the at least one tissue engager along or about at least one of the translational axis and the rotational axis. 
     
     
         37 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating motion is sinusoidal. 
     
     
         38 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating motion is not sinusoidal. 
     
     
         39 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating motion is complex, and comprises more than one frequency of oscillation. 
     
     
         40 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the oscillating motion is complex, and comprises more than one amplitude of oscillation. 
     
     
         41 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein a frequency of the oscillating motion is variable. 
     
     
         42 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein an amplitude of the oscillating motion is variable. 
     
     
         43 . The automated device as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tissue engager is configured for variable motion along or about at least one axis of motion. 
     
     
         44 . An automated device to achieve surgical access by separating a patient's tissues with reduced tissue trauma, comprising:
 a device body;   at least one tissue engager operatively associated with the device body, wherein the at least one tissue engager can move relative to the device body, wherein the at least one tissue engager is configured to be inserted between and engage and displace a patient's apposed tissues, and wherein the at least one tissue engager has a status;   at least one motive source operatively associated with the device body and operatively associated with the at least one tissue engager, and wherein the at least one motive source has a motion state;   at least one sensor operatively associated with the device body, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to produce a first signal based on the displacement of the patient's tissues; and   an automated control system operatively associated with the device body, wherein the automated control system:
 is operatively associated with the at least one motive source, 
 is operatively associated with the at least one sensor, and is configured to receive the first signal based on the displacement of the patient's tissues, 
 is configured to control, in light of the first signal based on the displacement of the patient's tissues, the at least one motive source in order to control the motion of the at least one tissue engager, and 
 wherein the motion of the at least one tissue engager is an oscillating motion.

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