Methods and systems for robotic single-port laparoscopic access
A laparoscopic tool has a semicircular mid-portion with a center point and coinciding remote center of the robotic arm, to which the tool is mounted on a common axis located between straight proximal and straight distal sections. The straight proximal of the laparoscopic tool is rotatably mounted on a fixed side mount on surgical robotic arm. The robotic arm is disengaged from the surgical robot to allow manual location of the robotic arm to position the semicircular mid-portion through a percutaneous port and the center point of semi-circular mid-portion and coinciding remote center of the robotic arm, to which the tool is mounted at a target virtual insertion point on the patient's body. Visual aids are provided to assist in the positioning of the center point.
1 . A method for performing surgery, the method comprising:
positioning a semi-circular mid-portion of a hollow shaft of a laparoscopic tool through a percutaneous passage of a patient;
aligning a center point of the semi-circular mid-portion with a virtual insertion point; and
operating the laparoscopic tool to cause an end effector to surgically interact with a tissue of the patient.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the laparoscopic tool to a surgical robotic system.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the surgical robotic system comprises at least one robotic arm and a tool holder, wherein the at least one robotic arm comprises a remote center.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein coupling the laparoscopic tool to the surgical robotic system comprises coupling a proximal section of the hollow shaft to the at least one robotic arm.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein coupling the proximal section of the hollow shaft to the at least one robotic arm comprises coupling the proximal section of the hollow shaft to a fixed tool side mount of the at least one robotic arm.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein aligning the center point of the semi-circular mid-portion with a virtual insertion point comprises using an alignment tool.
7 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising mounting the laparoscopic tool on the tool holder, wherein the center point coincides with the remote center.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the percutaneous passage is offset from the remote center of the surgical robotic system by a distance equal to a radius of the semi-circular mid-portion.
9 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising disengaging the at least one robotic arm from the surgical robotic system to allow manual positioning of the at least one robotic arm.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising manually positioning the at least one robotic arm to locate the center point of the semi-circular mid-portion of the hollow shaft at the virtual insertion point, wherein the semi-circular mid-portion is configured to remain positioned through the percutaneous passage.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein manually positioning the at least one robotic arm comprises rotating the semi-circular mid-portion of the hollow shaft around a common axis relative to a proximal section of the hollow shaft.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein manually positioning the at least one robotic arm comprises providing a visual marker of the location of the center point.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing a flexible cable assembly through a central passage of the shaft of the laparoscopic tool.
14 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
decoupling the at least one robotic arm and the tool holder from the surgical robotic system; and
positioning the laparoscopic tool and the tool holder such that a center point of the laparoscopic tool is located at a second virtual insertion point.
15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
positioning a semi-circular mid-portion of a hollow shaft of a second laparoscopic tool through the percutaneous passage of the patient;
coupling the second laparoscopic tool to a surgical robotic system;
aligning a center point of the semi-circular mid-portion of a hollow shaft of a second laparoscopic tool with a virtual insertion point; and
operating the second laparoscopic tool to cause a second end effector to surgically interact with tissue.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising interchangeably engaging the laparoscopic tool and the second laparoscopic tool.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising coupling the second laparoscopic tool to the surgical robotic system.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising passing a flexible cable assembly through a central passage of the hollow shaft of at least one of the laparoscopic tool or the second laparoscopic tool.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising manipulating the flexible cable assembly using a driver.
20 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a visual marker of a location of the center point.
21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the laparoscopic tool comprises operating the laparoscopic tool while the mid-portion of the hollow shaft remains positioned in the percutaneous passage and the center point remains located at the virtual insertion point.