US 11,701,492 B2
Active distal tip drive
John W. Komp, Dillon, CO (US); and Scott E. M. Frushour, Boulder, CO (US)
Assigned to COVIDIEN LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on May 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/307,790.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/034,501, filed on Jun. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0379332 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 6/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/01 (2006.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 6/12 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 25/0105 (2013.01) [A61B 6/12 (2013.01); A61B 8/0841 (2013.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.02); A61B 34/25 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00699 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00703 (2013.01); A61B 2034/2048 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2065 (2016.02); A61M 2025/0166 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of maintaining orientation of a catheter relative to a target comprising:
navigating a catheter in a luminal network;
collecting data relating to a detected movement of a distal tip of the catheter caused by physiological forces;
receiving images depicting the distal tip of the catheter and a target;
identifying the distal tip of the catheter and the target in the images;
confirming that the distal tip of the catheter is proximate to the target;
determining an orientation of the distal tip of the catheter relative to the target;
confirming that the distal tip is oriented at the target;
articulating the distal tip in response to the detected movement to maintain the orientation of the distal tip at the target during the detected movement of the distal tip caused by physiological forces based on the collected data when the distal tip is proximate to the target.