# 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. - **Patent:** US RE48750 - **Original title:** USRE48750E1 - Substaintially rigid and stable endoluminal surgical suite for treating a gastrointestinal lesion - **Owner:** Scimed Life Systems Inc - **Granted:** 2021 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 1 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, mechanical ## What it does 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. ## 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. ## 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. ## Real-world examples 1. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) platforms 2. Robotic-assisted gastrointestinal surgery systems 3. Minimally invasive colon lesion removal tools ## Why it matters 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. ## 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. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE48750/cftr-modulator-screening **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/USRE48750 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How a Robotic Surgical Tool Clamps Tissue Manually and Automatically](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11786761/ultrasonic-robotic-tool-actuation) — This patent describes a surgical tool for robotic operations that can clamp tissue using a motor-driven yoke, but also allows a surgeon to manually control the clamping action. - [How a Surgical Robot Arm's Wrist Moves Instruments](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12414825/surgical-arm) — This patent describes a specific design for the end part of a surgical robot arm, called the terminal portion, which uses a clever arrangement of three joints to precisely position and rotate surgical tools. - [How LG's Steam Closet Organizes Its Internal Components](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE48900/cftr-modulator-combinations) — A design patent for a clothing care system that stacks a steam generator and heat pump in a specific, space-saving arrangement within the base of the unit. - [How to Take 3D Pictures Inside Human Tissue Using Near-Infrared Light](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE38800/digital-video-recorder-dvr) — A system that uses flexible fiber optic cables to map the inside of complex body parts by shining light through them and measuring how it scatters. - [How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4733665/palmaz-balloon-expandable-stent) — This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.