Techniques for controlling medical device tools

Abstract

In various embodiments, a medical device includes an instrument head that includes one or more electrode pairs and a medical device tool coupled to a conduit, an impedance bridge, and a processor coupled to the impedance bridge and the conduit. In various embodiments, a method includes recording, at one or more frequencies, one or more impedance measurements associated with one or more electrode pairs included in an instrument head of the medical device; determining, based on the one or more impedance measurements, a tissue type of a portion of tissue contacting the one or more electrode pairs; and performing one or more operations to control a medical device tool included in the instrument head based on the tissue type.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical device, comprising:
 an instrument head that includes:
 one or more electrode pairs, and 
 a medical device tool coupled to a conduit; 
   an impedance bridge; and   a processor coupled to the impedance bridge and the conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device tool comprises a therapeutic drug delivery tool, and the conduit includes one or more therapeutic drug delivery conduits. 
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device tool comprises an energy delivery tool, and the conduit includes one or more wires coupling the energy delivery tool to an energy source. 
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device tool comprises a tissue sample extraction tool, and the conduit includes one or more wires coupling the tissue sample extraction tool to an actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device tool resides in between the electrodes of at least one electrode pair. 
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one electrode of a given electrode pair extends laterally outward with respect to an axis of the medical device tool. 
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one electrode of a given electrode pair is made from a flexible material. 
     
     
         8 . The medical device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more actuators that are coupled to a given electrode pair. 
     
     
         9 . The medical device of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator coupled to the medical device tool that causes the medical device tool to extend from a retracted position to an extended position. 
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling a medical device, the method comprising:
 recording, at one or more frequencies, one or more impedance measurements associated with one or more electrode pairs included in an instrument head of the medical device;   determining, based on the one or more impedance measurements, a tissue type of a portion of tissue contacting the one or more electrode pairs; and   performing one or more operations to control a medical device tool included in the instrument head based on the tissue type.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining the tissue type comprises comparing the one or more impedance measurements to one or more characteristic impedance measurements associated with one or more tissue types. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining the tissue type comprises:
 determining a Cole relaxation frequency of the portion of tissue based on the one or more impedance measurements, and   comparing the Cole relaxation frequency of the portion of tissue to one or more characteristic Cole relaxation frequencies of one or more tissue types.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the Cole relaxation frequency corresponds to a frequency associated with a greatest impedance measurement included in the one or more impedance measurements. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining the tissue type comprises:
 determining a tumor tissue type based on the Cole relaxation frequency of the portion of tissue being above a threshold frequency, or   determining a non-tumor tissue type based on the Cole relaxation frequency of the portion of tissue being below the threshold frequency.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the medical device tool comprises a therapeutic drug delivery tool, and performing the one or more operations to control the medical device tool comprises activating the therapeutic drug delivery tool to deliver one or more therapeutic drugs to the portion of tissue. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the medical device tool comprises an energy delivery tool, and performing the one or more operations to control the medical device tool comprises activating the energy delivery tool to deliver energy to the portion of tissue. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the medical device tool is a tissue sample extraction tool, and performing the one or more operations comprises activating the tissue sample extraction tool to extract a tissue sample from the portion of tissue. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein performing the one or more operations to control the medical device tool at least one of:
 causing the medical device tool to extend from a retracted position to an extended position, or   causing the electrodes of at least one electrode pair to retract from an extended position to a retracted position.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising outputting at least one of a visual indication or an audio indication of the tissue type of the portion of tissue. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising outputting at least one of a visual indication or an audio indication that the tissue type of the portion of tissue matches the tissue type of tissue at a target location.