System for performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure
View Patent ↗A surgical system for performing a surgical procedure includes an ex-vivo positioning mechanism and an in-vivo instrument magnetically attracted to the ex-vivo positioning mechanism. The in-vivo instrument can be positioned within a patient by moving the ex-vivo positioning mechanism. In addition, the surgical system includes a percutaneous member introducible into the patient independent from the ex-vivo positioning mechanism, the percutaneous member comprising a connector at a distal end thereof, wherein the connector is selectively couplable to the in-vivo instrument within the patient.
1. A surgical system, comprising:
an ex-vivo positioning mechanism;
an in-vivo instrument magnetically attractable to the ex-vivo positioning mechanism, whereby the in-vivo instrument is selectively movable within a patient by moving the ex-vivo positioning mechanism while the in-vivo instrument is magnetically attracted to the ex-vivo positioning mechanism; and
a percutaneous member, wherein the in-vivo instrument is introducible into the patient independent from the percutaneous member, and wherein the percutaneous member comprises:
a tubular member defining an axial lumen comprising a distal end; and
a shaft comprising a connector at a distal portion thereof, wherein the connector is movable along a length of the in-vivo instrument, wherein the connector is selectively lockable to a plurality of positions along the length of the in-vivo instrument within the patient, wherein the shaft extends through the axial lumen, wherein the connector is axially movable relative to the distal end of the tubular member to selectively lock the connector to the in-vivo instrument, and wherein the connector is permanently impassible through the distal end of the axial lumen.
2. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the ex-vivo positioning mechanism comprises a magnetic region.
3. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the in-vivo instrument comprises at least one camera.
4. The surgical system of claim 3 , wherein the in-vivo instrument further comprises a cleaning feature for cleaning a lens of the at least one camera.
5. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the in-vivo instrument comprises a connection portion.
6. The surgical system of claim 5 , wherein the connection portion defines a track for receiving the connector.
7. The surgical system of claim 6 , wherein the connector is configured to enter the track at a portion of the track adjacent to a lens of a camera operably supported on the in-vivo instrument.
8. The surgical system of claim 6 , wherein the connector comprises an enlarged portion at a distal end thereof, configured to be movably positioned within the track.
9. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the percutaneous member comprises a locking means for selectively locking the connector to the in-vivo instrument in any one of the plurality of positions.
10. A surgical system, comprising:
an ex-vivo positioning mechanism;
an in-vivo instrument magnetically attractable to the ex-vivo positioning mechanism, wherein the in-vivo instrument is selectively movable within a patient by moving the ex-vivo positioning mechanism while the in-vivo instrument is magnetically attracted to the ex-vivo positioning mechanism, wherein the in-vivo instrument defines a track; and
a percutaneous member, wherein the in-vivo instrument is introducible into the patient independent from the percutaneous member, and wherein the percutaneous member comprises:
a tubular member defining an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter, wherein the tubular member comprises a distal end; and
an elongate body comprising a connector at a distal portion of the elongate body, wherein the elongate body extends through the inner perimeter, wherein the inner perimeter is sized to prohibit the connector from passing through the distal end of the tubular member, wherein the connector comprises an outer perimeter greater than the inner perimeter of the tubular member, wherein the connector is movable relative to the distal end of the tubular member, wherein the percutaneous member is selectively couplable to the in-vivo instrument by disposing the connector in the track, wherein the connector is configured to initially engage the track within the patient, wherein the connector is movable along a length of the track, and wherein the connector is configured to selectively lock to the in-vivo instrument at a plurality of positions along the length of the track.
11. The surgical system of claim 10 , wherein the track and the elongate body form a non-zero angle therebetween while the connector is disposed in the track.