Pressure-propelled system for body lumen

• US 20050038335A1
• Filed: 01/09/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G.I. View Ltd.
• Original Assignee: G.I. View Ltd.
• Inventors: Cabiri, Oz, Gross, Yosef
• Granted Patent: US 7,833,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/273 for the upper alimentary canal, e.g. oesophagoscopes, gastroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes

Abstract

A system including a guide member at least partially insertable into a proximal opening of a body lumen, the guide member including a first passageway connectable to a source of fluid pressure, an elongate carrier arranged for sliding movement through the guide member, and a piston head mounted on the carrier, wherein a greater fluid pressure acting on a proximal side of the piston head than on a distal side of the piston head propels the piston head and the carrier in a distal direction in the body lumen.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a guide member at least partially insertable into a proximal opening of a body lumen, said guide member including a first passageway connectable to a source of fluid pressure;

an elongate carrier arranged for sliding movement through said guide member; and

a piston head mounted on said carrier, wherein a greater fluid pressure acting on a proximal side of said piston head than on a distal side of said piston head propels said piston head and said carrier in a distal direction in the body lumen.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said piston head is inflatable.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said carrier includes a second passageway in fluid communication with said piston head and connectable to a source of fluid pressure for inflating said piston head.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a vent tube passing through said piston head, having an opening distal to said piston head through which fluid is ventable to the outside.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an image-capturing device mounted on said carrier.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said image-capturing device is distal to said piston head.

7. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a power supply tube passing through said carrier and connected to said image-capturing device.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid supply tube passing through said carrier and connectable to a fluid source.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary piston head mounted on said carrier proximal to the first-mentioned piston head.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said auxiliary piston head is fixed axially to said carrier at a fixed distance from the first-mentioned piston head.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said auxiliary piston head is inflatable.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said carrier includes a third passageway in fluid communication with said auxiliary piston head and connectable to a source of fluid pressure for inflating said auxiliary piston head.