Articulating surgical tools and tool sheaths, and methods of deploying the same
A system for performing a medical procedure includes an articulating probe including inner and outer sleeves, and a surgical tool including a functional element positioned at a distal end of a tool shaft, the tool shaft having an articulation region. The articulating probe and the surgical tool are independently controllable.
1. A system for performing a medical procedure comprising:
an articulating probe including inner and outer sleeves, wherein the outer sleeve of the articulating probe includes at least one side port, and
a surgical tool including a functional element positioned at a distal end of a tool shaft, the tool shaft having an articulation region including a plurality of segment links, wherein a first segment link comprises a convex body portion and a second segment link comprises a concave cavity portion that mates with the first segment link convex body portion;
wherein the plurality of segment links includes a proximal link, a distal link, and at least one intermediate link between the proximal link and the distal link;
wherein directly adjacent links of the plurality of segment links articulate relative to each other and have a same outer width;
wherein the at least one intermediate link includes both a convex body portion and a concave body portion;
the probe further including a side port lock configured in one of a locked or unlocked mode;
wherein the at least one side port includes the side port lock positioned within the at least one side port;
wherein the side port lock comprises at least one of a pneumatic lock, a pneumatic solenoid, a pneumatic expandable pouch, a hydraulic lock, a hydraulic solenoid, a hydraulic expandable pouch, an electrically activated lock, an electrically activated solenoid, or an electrically activated piezoelectric actuator;
wherein the side port lock is constructed and arranged to secure a tool shaft that passes through the at least one side port in the locked mode, and wherein the side port lock is constructed and arranged to allow a tool shaft to pass through the at least one side port in the unlocked mode; and
wherein the articulating probe and the surgical tool are independently controllable in the unlocked mode of the side port lock.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first segment link is positioned proximal to the second segment link.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first segment link is positioned distal to the second segment link.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each segment link of the plurality of segment links is sequentially coupled to another segment link of the plurality of segment links.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segment links articulate with respect to one another.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of a first portion of the first segment link abuts an upper surface of a first portion of the second segment link to restrict an angle of articulation with respect to a center axis of each of the first and second segment links.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the angle of articulation is restricted to 12° to 15°.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the articulation region is constructed and arranged to support a force of 1 lbF without deflecting more than ½ inch.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool shaft includes a five-lumen extrusion.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segment links comprises at least three segment links.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segment links comprises at least four segment links.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first segment link convex body portion comprises a semi-spherical body portion.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second segment link concave cavity portion comprises a semi-spherical cavity.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second segment link concave cavity portion comprises a semi-ellipsoidal cavity.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first segment link convex body portion comprises a semi-ellipsoidal body portion.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second segment link concave cavity portion comprises a semi-spherical cavity.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second segment link concave cavity portion comprises a semi-ellipsoidal cavity.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first segment link comprises at least one articulation cable channel.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one articulation cable channel comprises first through fourth articulation cable channels.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first through fourth articulation cable channels are spaced approximately 90° apart around the circumference or perimeter of the first portion.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first segment link includes an actuation cable channel.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the first segment link comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the actuation cable channel includes a first opening at a diametric midpoint of the first end and a second opening at a diametric midpoint of the second end.
23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the actuation cable channel comprises a tapered portion.
24. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of segment links includes a material selected from the group consisting of: metal; plastic; a thermoplastic polymer; stainless steel; polyvinyl chloride; a liquid-crystal polymer; polytetrafluoroethylene; and combinations thereof.
25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second segment link includes a material different from the first segment link.
26. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the inner and outer sleeves of the articulating probe include a plurality of probe links.
27. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve of the articulating probe are independently controllable.