Automated heart valve manufacturing
An automated system that can be used for prosthetic heart valve manufacturing or suturing procedures. The system includes automated fixtures that maneuver a needle and a target device. The automated fixtures can be suturing arms, target device holders, needle transfer fixtures, and/or needle holders. The automated fixtures can rotate a target device held by the holder to allow one or more additional automated fixtures to perform operations such as form sutures on the target device without intervention of a human operator. The system can include a display system configured to display status information of a suturing procedure.
1 . A method for forming sutures on a target device using a fully automated system, the method comprising:
retrieving a pre-programmed suturing procedure from a data store;
securing the target device using a target holder of an automated suture fixture;
maneuvering, using the automated suture fixture, the target holder according to the pre-programmed suturing procedure;
maneuvering, using a plurality of automated suturing arms, a needle using a needle holder of each of the plurality of automated suturing arms, the needle being maneuvered according to the pre-programmed suturing procedure, maneuvering the needle including passing the needle between needle holders of the plurality of automated suturing arms;
displaying, using a display system, to an operator graphical information related to a status of the pre-programmed suturing procedure; and
acquiring, using a targeting system, images of the target device during the pre-programmed suturing procedure.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying further includes displaying images of the target device acquired with the targeting system.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising analyzing, using a controller, the images of the target device acquired by the targeting system.
4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising determining, by the controller, the status of the pre-programmed suturing procedure based on analysis of the images of the target device.
5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising adjusting, by the controller, one or more of the plurality of the automated suturing arms based on analysis of the images acquired by the targeting system.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-programmed suturing procedure includes script data that includes positions of the automated suture fixture and the plurality of automated suturing arms for individual steps in the pre-programmed suturing procedure.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-programmed suturing procedure includes script data that includes instructions to display information by the display system.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-programmed suturing procedure includes script data that includes instructions to the targeting system to acquire images of the target device.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-programmed suturing procedure is configured to perform a plurality of sutures on the target device.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target device is a heart valve.
11 . A method for forming sutures on a target device using a fully automated system, the method comprising:
retrieving a pre-programmed suturing procedure from a data store;
securing the target device using a target holder of an automated suture fixture, the automated suture fixture configured to remain fixed in location and to rotate to change an orientation of the target device, the target holder remaining fixed in location while rotating;
rotating, using the automated suture fixture, the target holder according to the pre-programmed suturing procedure;
maneuvering, using a plurality of automated suturing arms, a needle using a needle holder of each of the plurality of automated suturing arms, the needle being maneuvered according to the pre-programmed suturing procedure, maneuvering the needle including passing the needle between needle holders of the plurality of automated suturing arms;
passing the needle to a needle fixture comprising a needle holder, the needle fixture configured to remain in a fixed location, the pre-programmed suturing procedure including passing the needle between the needle holders of the plurality of automated suturing arms and the needle holder of the needle fixture;
displaying, using a display system, to an operator graphical information related to a status of the pre-programmed suturing procedure; and
acquiring, using a targeting system, images of the target device during the pre-programmed suturing procedure.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein displaying further includes displaying images of the target device acquired with the targeting system.
13 . The method of claim 11 further comprising analyzing, using a controller, the images of the target device acquired by the targeting system.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising determining, by the controller, the status of the pre-programmed suturing procedure based on analysis of the images of the target device.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising adjusting, by the controller, one or more of the plurality of the automated suturing arms based on analysis of the images acquired by the targeting system.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the pre-programmed suturing procedure includes script data that includes positions of the automated suture fixture and the plurality of automated suturing arms for individual steps in the pre-programmed suturing procedure.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the pre-programmed suturing procedure includes script data that includes instructions to display information by the display system.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the pre-programmed suturing procedure includes script data that includes instructions to the targeting system to acquire images of the target device.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the pre-programmed suturing procedure is configured to perform a plurality of sutures on the target device.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the target device is a heart valve.