Patent ID: 11957366
Assignee: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A surgical tool, comprising:
an electrically controllable finger at an operating end of the surgical tool, the electrically controllable finger being made from ionic polymeric metal composite (IPMC) material, and the operating end of the surgical tool being configured to be advanced, in a minimally invasive surgical procedure, in a distal direction in vasculature of a patient;
a housing that houses the electrically controllable finger and from which the electrically controllable finger extends distally; and
an electrode configured to generate an electric field configured to cause the electrically controllable finger to deform in the vasculature relative to the housing and the electrode, wherein the deformation includes at least one of twisting, rolling, turning, twirling, and bending; and
wherein the electrode includes a first electrode in the housing and a second electrode in the housing, wherein the first electrode is external to the second electrode, and wherein the first electrode has a U-shaped cross-section, and the second electrode is seated between legs defined by the U-shape.