Advancement techniques for gastrointestinal tool with guiding element

• US 10,080,481 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2006
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G.I. View Ltd.
• Original Assignee: G.I. View Ltd.
• Inventors: Goldwasser, Benad, Cabiri, Oz, Gross, Yossi
• Primary Examiner(s): Newton, Alexandra L
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOLER, RYNAE E
• Application Number:
  US11/815,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,612 Days
• Field of Search: 600115-116, 60410104, 604107, 60410101-10203
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/005 Flexible endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2736 Gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means

Abstract

Gastrointestinal apparatus (200) is provided for use with a fluid pressure source (240). The gastrointestinal apparatus (200) includes a guiding element (214), adapted to be inserted into a colon, and a piston head (220) coupled to a distal portion of the guiding element (214). The piston head (220) is adapted to be inflated to form a first pressure seal between the piston head (220) and a wall of the colon after the guiding element (214) has been inserted into the colon, and be advanced distally through the colon in response to pressure from the fluid pressure source (240) applied to an external surface of the piston head (220). The apparatus (200) further includes a gastrointestinal tool (210) adapted to be advanced along the guiding element (214), and an annular balloon (228) coupled around a distal portion of the gastrointestinal tool (210), the balloon (228) expandable to form a second pressure seal between the distal portion of the gastrointestinal tool (210) and the wall of the colon. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A gastrointestinal apparatus, comprising:

a guiding element carrying a gastrointestinal tool adapted to be advanced along the guiding element, the tool being shaped to define a bore therethrough, and the guiding element being placed within the bore such that as the tool advances, successive portions of the guiding element are surrounded by the bore;

wherein said gastrointestinal tool comprises one of the following configuration (i) a capsule, an endoscope or a colonoscope, (ii) at least one of an imaging device, an illumination device, a vision device, a sensor for characterization of tissue for performing optical biopsy or chromoendoscopy, an ultrasound sensor, an x-ray emitter, a cutting tool, a sampling device, a magnetic device, a catheter, a radioactive device, an iontophoresis drug delivery device, an injection device for injection of a substance, a photodynamic therapy/diagnosis device, a hyperthermic therapy/diagnosis device, an ultrasonic therapy/diagnosis device, an attachment or attraction device, or a dye applicator;

a piston head having proximal and distal sides and being coupled to a distal portion of the guiding element, said piston head being inflatable to form a first pressure seal between the piston head and a wall of a colon after the guiding element has been inserted through the rectum of a patient'"'"'s body into the colon;

a vent tube passing through said piston head, the vent tube being shaped so as to define an opening distal to the piston head through which fluid is vented to the outside of the body;

an annular balloon coupled to the gastrointestinal tool around a distal portion thereof, the annular balloon being inflatable to form a second pressure seal between the distal portion of the gastrointestinal tool and the rectum;

wherein when said piston head and said annular balloon create and maintain said first and second pressure seals;

a fluid pressure source delivering pressure directly to the volume of the colon between said piston head and said annular balloon such that said piston head is configured to travel distally through the colon in response to said pressure delivered directly from said fluid pressure source to the volume of the colon between said piston head and said annular balloon; and

;

first, second and third separate fluid passageways, the gastrointestinal tool being shaped so as to define a first passageway therethrough, the first passageway having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end coupled to said fluid pressure source, and the distal end opening to a site between the external surface of said piston head and said annular balloon for applying pressure to the volume of the colon between said piston head and said annular balloon inside the body lumen when in use, the second passageway extending inside the guiding element and connecting to inside of the piston head for applying pressure into the piston head, and the third passageway extending inside the vent tube for conveying fluid pressure out of the colon from a site distal to the piston head, the third passageway being configured to reduce fluid pressure in the distal side of the piston head such that greater fluid pressure acts on the proximal side of the piston head than on the distal side of the piston head, to create a positive differential pressure to advance the apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gastrointestinal tool is adapted to be advanced along the guiding element when the annular balloon has been at least partially deflated.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gastrointestinal tool is shaped so as to define a channel therethrough, and wherein the guiding element is shaped to pass through the channel.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gastrointestinal tool comprises a coupling member shaped so as to define a bore therethrough, and wherein the guiding element is configured to pass through the bore and not to pass through the gastrointestinal tool.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first passageway having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end coupled to the fluid pressure source, and the distal end open to a site between the external surface of the piston head and the annular balloon.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gastrointestinal tool is shaped so as to define the first passageway therethrough having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end coupled to the fluid pressure source, and the distal end open to a site between the external surface of the piston head and the balloon.

7. A method comprising:

inserting a guiding element carrying a gastrointestinal tool adapted to be advanced along the guiding element such that as the tool advances, successive portions of the guiding element are surrounded by a bore within the tool;

inflating a piston head being coupled to a distal portion of the guiding element, to form a first pressure seal between the piston head and a wall of a colon after the guiding element has been inserted through the rectum of a patient'"'"'s body into the colon;

continually conveying fluid pressure out of the colon to outside the body from a site distal to the piston head;

inflating an annular balloon coupled around a distal portion of the gastrointestinal tool, to thereby form a second pressure seal between the distal portion of the gastrointestinal tool and the rectum;

applying pressure in the colon for inflating the colon, to thereby allow application of said fluid pressure upon the inner walls of the colon;

maintaining pressure in the piston head;

creating a positive differential pressure across the piston head by directly delivering pressure to the volume of the colon between the piston head and the annular balloon to advance the piston head distally through the colon by applying a pressure to an external surface of the piston head and by continuously conveying fluid pressure out of the colon from a site distal to the piston head to reduce fluid pressure in the distal side of the piston head such that greater fluid pressure acts on the proximal side of the piston head than on the distal side of the piston head; and

regulating the pressure applied inside said piston head and inside said colon while said annular balloon is in an inflated state to propel the piston head and the guiding element coupled thereto distally through the colon.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein advancing the gastrointestinal tool along the guiding element comprises passing the guiding element through a channel defined in the gastrointestinal tool.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein advancing the gastrointestinal tool along the guiding element comprises passing the guiding element through a bore defined in a coupling member coupled to the tool, and not passing the guiding element through the gastrointestinal tool.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein applying the pressure comprises applying the pressure via a passageway defined in the gastrointestinal tool, the passageway having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end coupled to a fluid pressure source, and the distal end open to a site between the external surface of the piston head and the balloon.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein advancing the guiding element comprises facilitating passage of fluid out of the colon from a site distal to the piston head.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein advancing the guiding element and advancing the gastrointestinal tool along the guiding element comprise alternatingly advancing the guiding element and the gastrointestinal tool along the guiding element until the gastrointestinal tool is advanced to a desired site in the colon.