ROBOTIC MEDICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEM
A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient comprises conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit, intraluminally introducing a first medical instrument within the patient, extraluminally introducing a second medical instrument within the patient, and operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals to actuate a first tool on the first medical instrument and a second tool on the second medical instrument, in unison, to perform the medical procedure at a target region within an anatomical vessel. In one method, the control signals are conveyed from the remote controller to the drive unit in response to user commands, which may be movements made at a user interface that correspond to movements of the medical instrument.
1 . A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient, comprising:
conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit;
intraluminally introducing a first medical instrument within the patient;
extraluminally introducing a second medical instrument within the patient; and
operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals to actuate a first tool on the first medical instrument and a second tool on the second medical instrument, in unison, to perform the medical procedure at a target region within an anatomical vessel.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the control signals are conveyed from the remote controller to the drive unit in response to user commands.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user commands are movements made at a user interface that correspond to movements of the medical instrument.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second tools is a surgical tool, and the medical procedure is a surgical procedure.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second medical instruments are introduced into the patient by operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical procedure is a suturing procedure.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical procedure is a sewing procedure.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target region is located in a bowel.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the medical procedure comprises repairing a bowel wall defect.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target region is located in a stomach.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the medical procedure comprises treating a gastric ulcer.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target region is located in a urinary bladder.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target region is a sphincter.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the sphincter is located at the base of a ureter.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sphincter is located at a gastro-esophageal junction.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the medical procedure comprises constricting the sphincter.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical procedure comprises securing a stent to an anatomical vessel.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical procedure comprises transversely securing a first anatomical vessel to a sidewall of a second anatomical vessel.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first medical instrument is introduced within the patient through a natural body orifice or percutaneously, and the second medical instrument is introduced within the patient through a surgical opening or laparoscopically.