Endoscope with guide

• US 10,178,944 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2017
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Weitzner, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Fang-Chi
• Application Number:
  US15/652,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20170311780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 600106
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00073 with externally grooved shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0014 Fastening element for attaching accessories to the outside of an endoscope, e.g. clips, clamps or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00278 Transorgan operations, e.g. transgastric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0034 adapted to be inserted through a working channel of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators

Abstract

An instrument for use with an endoscope may include an elongate section configured to move exterior to the endoscope. The elongate section may include a distal end and a proximal end. The instrument may also include an end effector attached to the distal end of the elongate section, and an actuation device attached to the proximal end of the elongate section. The actuation device may be configured to operate the end effector. The instrument may also include a guiding member coupled to the elongate section. The guiding member may be configured to be coupled to an external surface of the endoscope to permit the guiding member to move longitudinally relative to the endoscope. The guiding member may be coupled to the elongate section such that the end effector may extend past a distal end of the endoscope and move in a transverse direction independent of the movement of the distal end of the endoscope.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

an endoscope having a proximal end, a distal end, and a length extending between the proximal end and the distal end;

a guiding member coupled to the endoscope and at least partially surrounding an outer surface of the endoscope, wherein the guiding member is slideable along at least part of the length of the endoscope, and wherein the guiding member is configured to removeably receive a plurality of instruments and to position the plurality of instruments along at least a portion of the length of the endoscope; and

a feature exposed on an external surface of the endoscope configured to stop movement of the guiding member in a distal direction along the length of the endoscope when the guiding member contacts the feature.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the guiding member has a first opening for removeably receiving a first instrument of the plurality of instruments, and wherein the guiding member has a second opening for removeably receiving a second instrument of the plurality of instruments, and wherein the first opening and the second opening are spaced on opposite sides of the endoscope.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the guiding member includes a first ring for surrounding the endoscope and a second ring for surrounding at least one of the plurality of instruments.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the guiding member includes a hinge located between the first ring and the second ring.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly comprises a plurality of guiding members spaced apart from one another along the length of the endoscope.

6. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising the plurality of instruments, wherein the plurality of instruments are received within respective openings of the guiding member and positioned along at least a portion of the length of the endoscope.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein a first instrument of the plurality of instruments is moveable relative to the endoscope so that a distal end of the first instrument is configured to extend distal to a distal end of the endoscope when the first instrument is received within the guiding member.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the feature is configured to stop movement of the first instrument in a distal direction when the guiding member contacts the feature.

9. The assembly of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of instruments has an end effector and a deflectable distal end.

10. The assembly of claim 6, further comprising an actuation device attached to a proximal end of each of the plurality of instruments, each actuation device being configured to independently deflect a respective one of the plurality of instruments inward toward a central axis extending along the length of the endoscope.

11. An assembly comprising:

an endoscope; and

a guiding member slideably coupled to a distal region of the endoscope, wherein the guiding member includes a first ring through which the endoscope is received and a second ring spaced radially outward from the first ring and spaced radially outward from an external surface of the endoscope, wherein the second ring is configured to receive an instrument and to at least partially surround the instrument when the instrument is received within the second ring to align the instrument along a length of the endoscope; and

a feature protruding radially outward from the external surface of the endoscope, wherein the feature is located distal to the guiding member and is configured to prevent sliding of the guiding member distal of the feature.

12. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising the instrument, wherein the instrument is slideably received within the second ring, and wherein a distal end of the instrument is moveable beyond a distal end of the endoscope.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein a distal region of the instrument is configured to deflect at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the endoscope.

14. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the guiding member includes a third ring spaced radially out from an external surface of the endoscope in a direction opposite the second ring, wherein the third ring is configured to receive a second instrument and to at least partially surround the second instrument when the second instrument is received within the third ring to align the second instrument along the length of the endoscope.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the guiding member includes at least one hinge.

16. An assembly comprising:

an endoscope;

a first instrument;

a second instrument;

a guiding member coupled to a distal region of the endoscope and surrounding at least a portion of a circumference of the endoscope, wherein the guiding member is slideable along a length of the endoscope, and wherein the guiding member includes a first ring and a second ring each projecting radially away from the endoscope, wherein the first ring and the second ring are configured to removeably receive and to at least partially surround an external surface of the first instrument and an external surface of the second instrument, respectively, and to position the first instrument and the second instrument along at least a portion of the length of the endoscope; and

a feature exposed on an external surface of the endoscope, wherein the feature is located distal to the guiding member and is configured to prevent movement of the guiding member distal of the feature.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the first ring and the second ring project radially away from opposite sides of the endoscope.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein a distal end of the first instrument and a distal end of the second instrument are moveable relative to the endoscope so that the distal end of the first instrument and the distal end of the second endoscope are configured to extend distal to a distal end of the endoscope when the first instrument and the second instrument are coupled to the guiding member.

19. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the feature is configured to stop movement of at least one of the first instrument or the second instrument in a distal direction along the length of the endoscope when the guiding member contacts the feature.

20. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising a first actuation device attached to a proximal end of the first instrument and a second actuation device attached to a proximal end of the second instrument, wherein the first actuation device and the second actuation device are configured to independently deflect a respective one of the first instrument and the second instrument relative to a central axis of the endoscope.