Patent ID: 8715226
Filing Date: 2014-05-06
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method for guiding a surgical cannula having a plurality of overlapping flexible tubes, comprising: determining a desired cannula path; selecting the plurality of flexible tubes, wherein each of the flexible tubes within the plurality of flexible tubes 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, wherein each of the intermediate overlap configurations defines a curvature of the surgical cannula that is a function of the pre-formed curvature and the flexibility of at least one of the plurality of flexible tubes such that at least one of the plurality of intermediate overlap configurations is different than at least one other of the plurality of intermediate overlap configurations, and wherein each of the plurality of intermediate overlap configurations corresponds to the desired cannula path.