System and method for enhanced maneuverability

• US 10,226,600 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G.I. View Ltd.
• Original Assignee: G.I. View Ltd.
• Inventors: Blum, Yoram, Shor, Eran, Mendelewicz, Ran
• Primary Examiner(s): Newton, Alexandra L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boler, Rynae
• Application Number:
  US13/056,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20110160536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,512 Days
• Field of Search: 600116, 600115, 604 9701, 604 9703, 604 9801, 60410101, 60410105
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1064 Large intestine
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0122 with fluid drive by external fluid in an open fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10181 Means for forcing inflation fluid into the balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10184 Means for controlling or monitoring inflation or deflation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus comprising an elongated carrier adapted to be inserted through a proximal opening of a gastrointestinal (GI) tract lumen; a piston head, coupled to a distal portion of the carrier, and configured to: be inflated so as to form and maintain a pressure seal with a wall of the GI tract lumen, and be advanced distally through the GI tract in response to pressure from a fluid pressure source; a distal balloon coupled to the carrier distal to the piston head and configured and operable to be inflated so as to dilate the lumen thereby creating a working space; and a control unit, configured and operable to control simultaneously a pressure level within the piston head and a pressure level within the distal balloon. The control comprises maintaining a constant level of pressure within the piston head thereby maintaining said pressure seal and cyclically modulating the level of pressure within the distal balloon facilitating the distal advancement of the piston head within the GI tract lumen.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a pressure seal between a piston head and a wall of a gastrointestinal (GI) tract lumen, the piston head being disposed proximally to a distal balloon;

while the pressure seal between the piston head and the wall of the GI tract lumen is maintained, applying fluid pressure to an external surface of the piston head to thereby advance the piston head and the distal balloon distally through the lumen; and

continuously cyclically modulating a level of pressure within the distal balloon, while maintaining the pressure seal between the piston head and the wall of the GI tract lumen to dilate the lumen thereby creating an imaging working space through which advancement of the piston head is facilitated.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising identifying impeded movement of the piston head, wherein cyclically modulating the level of pressure within the distal balloon comprises cyclically modulating the level of pressure within the distal balloon responsively to the identified impeded movement.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving a user generated input indicative of impeded movement of the piston head, wherein cyclically modulating the level of pressure within the distal balloon comprises cyclically modulating the level of pressure responsively to the input.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein cyclically modulating the level of pressure within the distal balloon comprises actuating a suction source to suck fluid from the distal balloon.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein cyclically modulating the level of pressure within the distal balloon comprises passively allowing fluid to vent from the distal balloon.