Endoscope having a guide tube

• US 20020161281A1
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Neoguide Systems, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Tartaglia, Joseph M., Belson, Amir, Jaffe, Ross
• Granted Patent: US 6,837,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00078 with stiffening means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0008 characterised by distal tip features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0016 using motor drive units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0053 using distributed actuators, e.g. artificial muscles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0057 Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3441 with distal sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0063 having means, e.g. stylets, mandrils, rods or wires to reinforce or adjust temporarily the stiffness, column strength or pushability of catheters which are already inserted into the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0681 Systems with catheter and outer tubing, e.g. sheath, sleeve or guide tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0138 having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils

Abstract

An endoscope having a guide tube is described herein. The assembly has an endoscope which is slidably insertable within the lumen of a guide tube. The guide tube is configured to be rigidizable along its entire length from a relaxed configuration. The endoscope has a steerable distal portion to facilitate the steering of the device through tortuous paths. In the relaxed configuration, a portion of the guide tube is able to assume the shape or curve defined by the controllable distal portion of the endoscope. Having assumed the shape or curve of the endoscope, the guide tube may be rigidized by the physician or surgeon to maintain that shape or curve while the endoscope is advanced distally through the tortuous path without having to place any undue pressure against the tissue walls.

Claims

1. A system for advancing an endoscope through a tortuous path, comprising:

an endoscope shaft having a proximal end, a controllable distal end, and a length therebetween; and

an elongate guide tube having a length which defines a lumen therethrough and wherein the guide tube is adapted to slidingly receive the endoscope shaft within the lumen, the guide tube further comprising at least one tensioning member disposed along the length of the guide tube for selectively rigidizing the length of the guide tube,

wherein at least a portion of the guide tube is further adapted to conform to and maintain a shape defined by the controllable distal end when the tensioning member is under a tensioning force.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the endoscope shaft comprises a conventional endoscope shaft.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the endoscope shaft comprises an elongate body having a proximal end and a selectively steerable distal end and defining at least one lumen therebetween, the elongate body comprising a plurality of segments interconnected via joints, and at least one motor attached to each of at least a majority of segments for actuating an adjacent segment and wherein each motor is independently controllable, wherein when the distal end assumes a selected curve, the plurality of segments are configured to propagate the selected curve along the elongate body by each motor selectively actuating the adjacent segment.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the guide tube comprises a plurality of segments which are connected adjacently, wherein at least a majority of the segments are angularly movable relative to one another.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the guide tube comprises at least three tensioning members disposed along the length of the guide tube.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein each of the tensioning members are located circumferentially relative to one another about the guide tube.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a tubular covering disposed over at least a majority of an outer surface of the guide tube.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a covering disposed over a distal end of the guide tube lumen.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the covering comprises a gusseted region which is adapted to expand from a first compressed configuration to a second longitudinally expanded configuration as the endoscope shaft is advanced distally relative to the distal end of the guide tube lumen.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the covering is adapted to evert upon itself when the endoscope shaft is positioned within the guide tube lumen.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the covering is adapted to stretch distally when the endoscope shaft is advanced distally relative to the distal end of guide tube.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the covering is attached between the distal end of the guide tube and along a distal location on the endoscope shaft.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the covering is attached between the distal end of the guide tube and over the distal end of the endoscope shaft.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the covering is disposed entirely over the distal end of the guide tube lumen and the distal end of the endoscope shaft.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising relaxing the guide tube.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein advancing the guide tube in the flexible state comprises advancing the guide tube over the endoscope shaft.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the guide tube is advanced over the endoscope shaft until a distal end of the guide tube is located adjacent with, just proximally, or just distally of the distal end of the endoscope shaft.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein manipulating the controllable distal end of the endoscope comprises manually controlling the distal end to assume the arbitrary shape.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein advancing the guide tube comprises expanding a covering disposed over the distal end of the guide tube as endoscope shaft is advanced distally relative to the guide tube.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein rigidizing the length of the guide tube comprises tensioning at least three tensioning members disposed along the length of the guide tube.

15. A method of advancing an endoscope through a tortuous path, comprising:

advancing an endoscope shaft along the tortuous path until a curve in the path is encountered;

manipulating a controllable distal end of the endoscope shaft to assume an arbitrary shape to traverse the curve;

advancing a guide tube in a flexible state over the endoscope shaft such that a portion of the guide tube assumes the arbitrary shape defined by the distal end of the endoscope shaft;

rigidizing a length of the guide tube such that the arbitrary shape is maintained by the guide tube; and

further advancing the endoscope shaft through the rigidized guide tube.