How Surgical Robots Create Working Space Inside the Body
A surgical tool that expands inside a patient to create a stable, open workspace, allowing doctors to perform complex procedures using two independently controlled instruments.
Original patent title: “USRE48750E1 - Substaintially rigid and stable endoluminal surgical suite for treating a gastrointestinal lesion”
A surgical tool that expands inside a patient to create a stable, open workspace, allowing doctors to perform complex procedures using two independently controlled instruments. Granted to Scimed Life Systems Inc in 2021 with 24 claims and 1 forward citation.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This device acts as a miniature operating room that unfolds inside a patient's body, such as the colon. It features a chamber made of movable members that expand from a thin, collapsed shape into a wider structure, creating a dedicated 'working space' around a lesion. Once expanded, the system guides two separate tubes into this space. Because these tubes can move and rotate independently, a surgeon can achieve 'triangulation'—a technique where two instruments converge on a target from different angles, which is essential for precise cutting or suturing in tight spaces.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover standard endoscopes that lack an expandable chamber for creating a multi-instrument working space.
- Does not cover surgical systems that rely on a single, fixed-position instrument path.
- Does not cover non-endoscopic surgical tools that operate from outside the body cavity.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system solves the 'crowding' problem of endoscopy by physically moving the target tissue laterally away from the device's center, effectively creating a 3D operating theater inside a 2D tube.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) platforms
Robotic-assisted gastrointestinal surgery systems
Minimally invasive colon lesion removal tools
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Performing surgery inside the gastrointestinal tract is notoriously difficult because the environment is cramped and unstable. By creating a rigid, localized workspace, this technology helps transition procedures that previously required open surgery to less invasive endoscopic methods, potentially reducing patient recovery time and complications.
Filed
August 5, 2019
Granted
September 28, 2021
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Scimed Life Systems, a subsidiary of Boston Scientific, holds this patent. The technology builds upon the broader field of robotic-assisted surgery, with major players like Intuitive Surgical and various medical device startups focusing on flexible, steerable endoscopic platforms.
Market impact
This patent supports the trend toward 'natural orifice' surgery, where surgeons operate through existing body openings rather than incisions. It enables more complex tissue resection procedures to be performed in an outpatient setting, shifting the standard of care for gastrointestinal lesions.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This device acts as a miniature operating room that unfolds inside a patient's body, such as the colon. It features a chamber made of movable members that expand from a thin, collapsed shape into a wider structure, creating a dedicated 'working space' around a lesion. Once expanded, the system guides two separate tubes into this space. Because these tubes can move and rotate independently, a surgeon can achieve 'triangulation'—a technique where two instruments converge on a target from different angles, which is essential for precise cutting or suturing in tight spaces.
The clever bit
The system solves the 'crowding' problem of endoscopy by physically moving the target tissue laterally away from the device's center, effectively creating a 3D operating theater inside a 2D tube.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover standard endoscopes that lack an expandable chamber for creating a multi-instrument working space.
- Does not cover surgical systems that rely on a single, fixed-position instrument path.
- Does not cover non-endoscopic surgical tools that operate from outside the body cavity.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
16/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$129K – $412K
Midpoint $257K · 13.1 yr remaining · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
24 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Shikhman, O., Piskun, G., Rottenberg, D., Manash, B., & Pinhasov, D. (2021). How Surgical Robots Create Working Space Inside the Body (U.S. Patent No. RE48,750). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE48750/cftr-modulator-screening
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Surgical Robots Create Working Space Inside the Body cover?
A surgical tool that expands inside a patient to create a stable, open workspace, allowing doctors to perform complex procedures using two independently controlled instruments.
Who owns patent US RE48750?
Scimed Life Systems Inc owns this patent, granted in 2021.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 28, 2041, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US RE48750 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Performing surgery inside the gastrointestinal tract is notoriously difficult because the environment is cramped and unstable. By creating a rigid, localized workspace, this technology helps transition procedures that previously required open surgery to less invasive endoscopic methods, potentially reducing patient recovery time and complications.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover standard endoscopes that lack an expandable chamber for creating a multi-instrument working space.
Patent monitoring