Active Cannulas for Bio-Sensing and Surgical Intervention

C04873: Highly Dexterous Tool for Minimally Invasive Surgery

Novelty:

A new approach to laparoscopic surgical tools that enables surgeons to operate around smaller curved structures.

Value Proposition:

Surgical procedures of the head and neck are often complex and extensive in order to gain access to tumors or other abnormalities. This results in a great deal of damage to healthy tissue in the process. Despite most other surgeries moving to laparoscopic or percutaneous formats, these tools have not found place in this region of the body. The dense nature of anatomy in this region inhibits dexterous actions when using rigid, rod-like tools. This invention, however, provides a means to create surgical tools that can navigate cranial anatomy and perform complex procedures. Other advantages include:

Technical Details:

Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a new structure that paves the way for a complete redesign of laparoscopic and robotic surgical tools. They are based on concentric section of small tubing which can curve around tissue naturally. Prototypes can be easily scaled depending on the application. These new, smaller tools will provide minimally-invasive access to the brain and neck, which previously could not take advantage of such surgical procedures.

Looking for Partners:

To develop and commercialize the technology as a novel class of miniature, scalable, and flexible cannulae in the minimally invasive and robotic surgery markets.

Stage of Development:

Prototype

Data Availability:

Under CDA / NDA

Publications/Associated Cases:

The International Journal of Robotics Research November 2010 vol. 29 no. 13 1661-1683 Robotics, IEEE Transactions on, vol.25, no.1, pp.67-78, Feb. 2009