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