Catheter with removable vision probe

摘要

A medical system includes a catheter and a vision probe that can be removed from the catheter and replaced with a medical probe. The vision probe can thus be used to steer and pose the catheter, and then be removed and replaced with the medical probe when a medical task such as a lung biopsy is performed. A sensor system in the catheter at least partly measures a pose of the catheter, and control logic controls actuation of the catheter to maintain the desired working configuration when the medical probe is used. A small diameter catheter can thus provide vision and biopsy functionality.

主权项

1. A medical system comprising:
a catheter having a main lumen and a mechanical system, wherein the mechanical system is connected to control a pose of a steerable distal tip of the catheter, the pose including a position and orientation of the steerable distal tip of the catheter; a sensor system coupled to the catheter to generate measurement signals associated with the catheter; and a control system coupled to the sensor system to receive measurement signals and coupled to the mechanical system to control the catheter, wherein the control system is operable to identify a desired working configuration of the distal tip while an imaging device is deployed in the main lumen for obtaining images and providing the obtained images to an operator interface, wherein the desired working configuration comprises a desired pose of the distal tip of the catheter, the desired pose comprising a desired position and a desired orientation of the distal tip, and the control system is further operable to receive orientation information about the distal tip from the measurement signals generated by the sensor system when the imaging device has been removed from the catheter, and to hold or return the distal tip of the catheter to the desired working configuration when the imaging device has been removed from the catheter and a medical probe is deployed in the main lumen.