Pressure-propelled system for body lumen

• US 20050154355A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G.I. View Ltd.
• Original Assignee: G.I. View Ltd.
• Inventors: Degtiar, Boris, Gross, Yossi, Cabiri, Oz, Shor, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 7,635,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/126 provided with means for cleaning in-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0122 with fluid drive by external fluid in an open fluid circuit

Abstract

Apparatus is provide for use with a fluid pressure source, including an elongate carrier, adapted to be inserted through a proximal opening of a body lumen, and a distal piston head coupled to a distal portion of the carrier. The piston head is adapted to be in direct contact with a wall of the lumen when the carrier is inserted into the lumen, and to be advanced distally through the body lumen in response to pressure from the fluid pressure source. Additionally, the piston head is typically adapted to facilitate passage of fluid out of the lumen from a site within the lumen distal to the piston head.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use with a biologically-compatible-fluid pressure source, comprising:

an elongate carrier, adapted to be inserted through a proximal opening of a body lumen; and

a distal piston head coupled to a distal portion of the carrier and adapted to;

be in direct contact with a wall of the lumen when the carrier is inserted into the lumen,

be advanced distally through the body lumen in response to pressure from the fluid pressure source, and

facilitate passage of fluid out of the lumen from a site within the lumen distal to the piston head.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the piston head in contact with the wall of the lumen comprises a low friction coating suitable for facilitating sliding of the piston head against the wall of the lumen.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lumen includes a gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and wherein the piston head is adapted to be in direct contact with a wall of the GI tract when the carrier is inserted into the GI tract.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the GI tract includes a colon, and wherein the piston head is adapted to be in direct contact with a wall of the colon when the carrier is inserted into the colon.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus comprises a vent tube, and wherein the piston head is adapted to facilitate the passage of the fluid out of the lumen through the vent tube.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vent tube is shaped to define an inner diameter thereof that is between 1 and 3 millimeters.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vent tube is adapted to passively permit the passage of the fluid out of the lumen.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vent tube is adapted to be coupled to a suction source, whereby to actively facilitate the passage of the fluid out of the lumen.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the vent tube is adapted to be coupled to the suction source such that during operation of the apparatus, a pressure distal to the piston head is between −

5 millibar and +15 millibar.

10. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the piston head is adapted to be inflated so as to attain and maintain the direct contact with the wall of the colon.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the apparatus comprises an auxiliary piston head, coupled to the carrier at a position proximal to the distal piston head,

wherein the auxiliary piston head is adapted to be inflated so as to attain and maintain direct contact with the wall of the colon, and

wherein:

(a) at at least one time while the carrier is within the body lumen, the distal piston head is adapted to be in a state of being already deflated at least in part simultaneously with the auxiliary piston head being already inflated and being advanced distally through the colon in response to pressure from the fluid pressure source, and

(b) at at least one other time while the carrier is within the body lumen, the auxiliary piston head is adapted to be in a state of being already deflated at least in part simultaneously with the distal piston head being already inflated and being advanced distally through the colon in response to pressure from the fluid pressure source.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the piston head is adapted to be intermittently deflated at least in part, while in the colon, whereby to facilitate the passage of the fluid out of the lumen from the site within the lumen distal to the piston head.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus comprises a piston-head-pressure sensor, adapted to sense a pressure within the piston head.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus comprises a distal pressure sensor, adapted to sense a pressure within the colon distal to the piston head.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus comprises a proximal pressure sensor, adapted to sense a pressure within the colon proximal to the piston head.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a piston-head-pressure sensor, adapted to sense a pressure within the piston head.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a distal pressure sensor, adapted to sense a pressure distal to the piston head.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a pressure sensor, adapted to measure a first pressure associated with operation of the apparatus; and

a control unit, adapted to regulate a second pressure associated with operation of the apparatus responsive to the measurement of the pressure sensor.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pressure sensor is adapted to measure a pressure selected from the list consisting of:

a pressure distal to the piston head, a pressure proximal to the piston head, and a pressure within the piston head.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the control unit is adapted to regulate the pressure being measured by the pressure sensor.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the control unit is adapted to regulate a pressure other than that being measured by the pressure sensor.

22. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the piston head is shaped to define a proximal lobe and a distal lobe, the lobes being in fluid communication with each other.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22,

wherein a volume of a first one of the lobes is adapted to decrease in response to a constriction of the colon adjacent thereto,

wherein a volume of a second one of the lobes is adapted to remain constant in the absence of a change in colon diameter adjacent thereto, even if the volume of the first lobe is decreased, and

wherein a pressure within the first and second lobes is equal in steady state, regardless of the decrease in volume of the first lobe.

24. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the piston head is adapted to be at an inflation pressure between 10 and 60 millibar during advancement through the colon.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the piston head is adapted to advance through the colon in response to a pressure from the fluid pressure source that is between 30% and 100% of the inflation pressure.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the piston head is adapted to advance through the colon in response to a pressure from the fluid pressure source that is between 50% and 100% of the inflation pressure.

27. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the piston head is adapted to be at an inflation pressure between 20 and 50 millibar during advancement through the colon.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the piston head is adapted to be at an inflation pressure between 30 and 45 millibar during advancement through the colon.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the piston head is adapted to advance through the colon in response to a pressure from the fluid pressure source that is between 30% and 100% of the inflation pressure.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the piston head is adapted to advance through the colon in response to a pressure from the fluid pressure source that is between 50% and 100% of the inflation pressure.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the piston head is adapted to advance through the colon in response to a pressure from the fluid pressure source that is between 50% and 80% of the inflation pressure.

32. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the piston head is shaped to define a distally-narrowing portion, and is adapted to be inserted into the colon such that a tip of the distally-narrowing portion points in a distal direction when the piston head is in the colon.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein a proximal base of the distally-narrowing portion has a characteristic fully-inflated diameter that is larger than a diameter of at least a part of the colon through which the distally-narrowing portion is adapted to pass, whereby the base of the distally-narrowing portion does not inflate fully when the base is in that part of the colon.

34. A method, comprising:

placing a distal piston head in direct contact with a wall of a body lumen;

applying fluid pressure to the distal piston head to advance the piston head distally through the body lumen; and

facilitating passage of fluid out of the lumen from a site within the lumen distal to the piston head.

35. The method according to claim 34, comprising applying a low friction coating to an outer surface of the piston head intended for contact with the wall of the lumen, the low friction coating being suitable for facilitating sliding of the piston head against the wall of the lumen.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the lumen includes a gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and wherein placing the piston head comprises placing the piston head in direct contact with a wall of the GI tract.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the GI tract includes a colon, and wherein placing the piston head includes placing the piston head in direct contact with a wall of the colon.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein facilitating the passage of the fluid comprises facilitating the passage of the fluid out of the lumen through a vent tube extending from the site distal to the piston head to a site outside of the lumen.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein facilitating the passage of the fluid comprises passively permitting the passage of the fluid through the vent tube and out of the lumen.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein facilitating the passage of the fluid comprises actively removing the fluid from the lumen.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein actively removing the fluid comprises applying to the site distal to the piston head a pressure between −

5 millibar and +15 millibar.

42. The method according to claim 37, wherein placing the piston head in direct contact with the wall comprises inflating the piston head to an extent sufficient to attain and maintain the direct contact with the wall of the colon.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the method comprises:

placing an auxiliary piston head proximal to the distal piston head;

inflating the auxiliary piston head to an extent sufficient to attain and maintain direct contact with the wall of the colon;

at at least one time while the distal piston head is within the body lumen, deflating the distal piston head at least in part, such that at a post-distal-piston-head-deflation time when the distal piston head is in a state of being already deflated at least in part, the auxiliary piston head is inflated and advancing distally through the colon in response to the applied fluid pressure; and

at at least one other time while the distal piston head is within the body lumen, deflating the auxiliary piston head at least in part, such that at a post-auxiliary-piston-head-deflation time when the auxiliary piston head is in a state of being already deflated at least in part, the distal piston head is inflated and advancing distally through the colon in response to the applied pressure.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein facilitating the passage of the fluid out of the lumen comprises intermittently deflating the piston head at least in part.

45. The method according to claim 42, wherein the method comprises sensing a pressure within the piston head.

46. The method according to claim 42, wherein the method comprises sensing a pressure within the colon distal to the piston head.

47. The method according to claim 42, wherein the method comprises sensing a pressure within the colon proximal to the piston head.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the method comprises sensing a pressure within the piston head.

49. The method according to claim 47, wherein the method comprises sensing a pressure distal to the piston head.

50. The method according to claim 42, wherein the method comprises:

sensing a first pressure associated with performing the method; and

regulating a second pressure associated with performing the method, responsive to sensing the first pressure.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein sensing the first pressure comprises sensing a pressure selected from the list consisting of:

a pressure distal to the piston head, a pressure proximal to the piston head, and a pressure within the piston head.

52. The method according to claim 50, wherein regulating the second pressure comprises regulating the first pressure.

53. The method according to claim 50, wherein regulating the second pressure does not include regulating the first pressure.

54. The method according to claim 42, wherein inflating the piston head comprises inflating the piston head at an inflation pressure between 10 and 60 millibar.

55. The method according to claim 54, wherein applying the fluid pressure comprises setting the fluid pressure to between 30% and 100% of the inflation pressure.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein applying the fluid pressure comprises setting the fluid pressure to between 50% and 100% of the inflation pressure.

57. The method according to claim 54, wherein inflating the piston head comprises inflating the piston head at an inflation pressure between 20 and 50 millibar.

58. The method according to claim 57, wherein inflating the piston head comprises inflating the piston head at an inflation pressure between 30 and 45 millibar.

59. The method according to claim 58, wherein applying the fluid pressure comprises setting the fluid pressure to between 30% and 100% of the inflation pressure.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein applying the fluid pressure comprises setting the fluid pressure to between 50% and 100% of the inflation pressure.

61. The method according to claim 60, wherein applying the fluid pressure comprises setting the fluid pressure to between 50% and 80% of the inflation pressure.

62. 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.

63. The system according to claim 62, wherein said piston head is inflatable.

64. The system according to claim 63, 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.

65. The system according to claim 62, 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.

66. The system according to claim 62, further comprising an image-capturing device mounted on said carrier.

67. The system according to claim 66, wherein said image-capturing device is distal to said piston head.

68. The system according to claim 66, further comprising a power supply tube passing through said carrier and connected to said image-capturing device.

69. The system according to claim 62, further comprising a fluid supply tube passing through said carrier and connectable to a fluid source.

70. The system according to claim 62, further comprising an auxiliary piston head mounted on said carrier proximal to the first-mentioned piston head.

71. The system according to claim 70, wherein said auxiliary piston head is fixed axially to said carrier at a fixed distance from the first-mentioned piston head.

72. The system according to claim 70, wherein said auxiliary piston head is inflatable.

73. The system according to claim 72, 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.