US 12,440,287 B2
Robotically controlled steerable access system and method of use
Jay Alan Lenker, Lake Forest, CA (US); James Alexander Carroll, Long Beach, CA (US); and Eugene Michael Breznock, Winters, CA (US)
Assigned to Indian Wells Medical, Inc., Lake Forest, CA (US)
Filed by Indian Wells Medical, Inc., Lake Forest, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/949,210.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/247,741, filed on Sep. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0107208 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/30 (2016.02) [A61B 34/76 (2016.02); A61B 2034/301 (2016.02); A61B 2034/303 (2016.02)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of accessing a desired target location within a body lumen or vessel of a patient and performing therapeutic or diagnostic procedures at the desired location, said method comprising the steps of:
performing an access procedure to the body lumen or vessel wherein an endoluminal access instrument is inserted into a patient such that its distal end is positioned within the body lumen or vessel and its proximal end resides external to the patient;
wherein the endoluminal access instrument comprises:
an outer axially elongate hollow tube having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, a lumen extending therethrough, and at least one selectively bendable region, wherein the at least one selectively bendable region can transmit axial force;
an inner axially elongate tube divided, at least partially, axially, by a longitudinal slot, into at least one control rod and a separated part within the selectively bendable region of the outer axially elongate hollow tube;
the selectively bendable region of the outer axially elongate hollow tube and the longitudinal slot of the inner axially elongate tube establish a region of preferred bending in the endoluminal access instrument;
a proximal end hub affixed to the proximal end of the outer axially elongate hollow tube and affixed to the proximal end of the inner axially elongate tube;
further wherein the inner axially elongate tube and the outer axially elongate hollow tube are affixed to each other distal to the at least one selectively bendable region;
and further comprising the steps of:
fixing the proximal end hub of the endoluminal access instrument to a movable head of a robotic system; and
once the endovascular access instrument has reached the desired target location within the body lumen or vessel of a patient, performing therapeutic or diagnostic procedures.