Dual manipulation for robotic catheter system

Abstract

For robotically operating a catheter, translation and/or rotation manipulation is provided along the shaft or away from the handle, such as near a point of access to the patient. A worm drive arrangement may allow for both translation and rotation of the shaft. Some control may be provided by robotic manipulation of the handle, while other control (e.g., fine adjustments) are made by robotic manipulation of the shaft.

I (We) claim: 
     
         1 . A method for robotically operating a catheter, the method comprising:
 connecting a robot to a shaft of a catheter spaced from a handle of the catheter;   translating, by the robot at a location of the connection, the catheter along a longitudinal axis of the shaft; and   rotating, by the robot at the location of the connection, the shaft about the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein translating comprises operating a worm drive, a worm of the worm drive connecting the robot to the shaft and a worm wheel of the worm drive connected to a motor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein translating comprises driving the worm along the longitudinal axis with a threaded connection to the worm wheel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein rotating comprises operating a worm drive, a worm of the worm drive connecting the robot to the shaft and a worm wheel of the worm drive connected to a motor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein rotating comprises rotating the worm by rotation of the worm wheel, a tooth of the worm wheel positioned in a groove on the worm. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising operating the catheter at the handle by the robot and wherein translating and rotating are additional operation of the catheter at the location. 
     
     
         7 . A system for robotic manipulation of a catheter, the system comprising:
 a handle robot configured to hold a handle of the catheter, the handle robot having one or more first gears to operate controls of the handle of the catheter;   an access point robot configured to hold a shaft of the catheter away from the handle, the access point robot configured to translate the shaft along a longitudinal axis of the catheter and to rotate the shaft about the longitudinal axis; and   a controller configured to control operation of the first gears, the translation, and the rotation.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the access point robot comprises a worm drive having a worm with threading and a notch, a first worm wheel having threading for the translation, and a second worm wheel having a tooth matable with the notch for the rotation.