Noah J Cowan

US Patent:

8152756, Apr 10, 2012

Filed:

Nov 15, 2006

Appl. No.:

12/084979

Inventors:

Robert James Webster - Nashville TN, US
Allison M. Okamura - Ruxton MD, US
Noah J. Cowan - Baltimore MD, US
Russell H. Taylor - Severna Park MD, US

Assignee:

The Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore MD

International Classification:

A61M 31/00

US Classification:

604 9501

Abstract:

Disclosed is a surgical needle, or active cannula, that is capable of following a complex path through cavities and tissue within a patient's anatomy. The needle has a plurality of overlapping flexible tubes, each of which has a pre-formed curvature and a pre-determined flexibility. Each of the plurality of flexible tubes is selected based on their respective preformed curvature and flexibility so that a given overlap configuration causes the combination of overlapping flexible tubes to form a predetermined shape that substantially matches a desired path through the anatomy. By individually controlling the translation and angular orientation of each of the flexible tubes, the surgical needle may be guided through the anatomy according to the desired path.

US Patent:

20070016067, Jan 18, 2007

Filed:

May 19, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/436995

Inventors:

Robert Webster - Baltimore MD, US
Allison Okamura - Ruxton MD, US
Noah Cowan - Baltimore MD, US
Gregory Chirikjian - Towson MD, US
Kenneth Goldberg - San Francisco CA, US
Ron Alterovitz - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY - Baltimore MD

International Classification:

A61B 8/14

US Classification:

600464000, 600562000

Abstract:

Disclosed is a system for percutaneously steering a surgical needle. Needle steering is accomplished by taking advantage of a deflection force imparted on the bevel tip of the needle by the tissue medium as the needle is pushed through the tissue. By controlling the translation speed and rotation angle of the bevel, a flexible needle may be steered substantially without deflecting or distorting the tissue. The control inputs (translation speed and rotation angle) are computed based on a “bicycle” non-holonomic kinematic model that is a function of mechanical properties of the tissue medium. The system may be used with image-based feedback, which may provide for feedback-based refinement of the model as the needle propagates through the tissue.

US Patent:

20130018303, Jan 17, 2013

Filed:

Mar 9, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/416772

Inventors:

Robert James Webster - Baltimore MD, US
Allison M. Okamura - Towson MD, US
Noah J. Cowan - Baltimore MD, US
Russell H. Taylor - Severna Park MD, US

Assignee:

The Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore MD

International Classification:

A61M 25/092

US Classification:

604 9501

Abstract:

A method for guiding a surgical cannula having a plurality of overlapping flexible tubes includes determining a desired cannula path; selecting the plurality of flexible tubes, wherein each of the flexible tubes within the plurality has a pre-formed curvature and a flexibility; determining a final overlap configuration of the plurality of flexible tubes such that a resulting curvature of the overlap configuration substantially corresponds to the desired cannula path; and determining a plurality of intermediate overlap configurations of the plurality of flexible tubes. Each of the intermediate configurations correspond to the desired cannula path.

US Patent:

20140276190, Sep 18, 2014

Filed:

Mar 13, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/798637

Inventors:

Nassir Navab - Munich, DE
Noah Cowan - Baltimore MD, US
Bernhard Fuerst - Munich, DE
Eric S. Fortune - Baltimore MD, US

International Classification:

A61B 5/06

US Classification:

600547

Abstract:

A system and method for tracking a position of an interventional medical device configured to be deployed into a subject during a medical procedure. An anatomical dataset of the subject is acquired while at least one electrical sensor is disposed along the interventional medical device. A feedback signal is generated from the electrical sensor and is processed and analyzed to identify positional information of the interventional medical device. A position of the interventional medical device with respect to the anatomical dataset is identified and the position of the interventional medical device with respect to the anatomical dataset is shown on a display.