Medical devices with light emitting regions

• US 20060069313A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Couvillon, Lucien Alfred Jr., Banik, Michael S., Orband, Daniel G., Fantone, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US10/955,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069313A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/179
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence

Abstract

A medical device, such as an endoscope 20, constructed in accordance with aspects of the present invention is provided. The endoscope 20 includes an elongated shaft-like body 22 having a proximal end 26 and a distal end 28. The shaft-like body comprises a proximal section 40, an optional articulation section 44, and a distal tip section 48 disposed at the distal end 28 of the shaft body. The endoscope 20 further includes surgical navigation features, such as a plurality of light sources 50 for emitting light, that denote the position, direction, and/or orientation of the endoscope in-vivo as the endoscope is advanced through tortuous passageways of the patient'"'"'s body.

Claims

1. A medical device for insertion into a patient, comprising:

an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinally disposed outer surface; and

a plurality of light sources disposed along the outer surface of the shaft in a spaced apart manner, the light sources configured and arranged to emit light in a direction outwardly of the outer surface with a sufficient intensity to be detected via transillumination.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of light sources are mounted on the shaft outer surface.

3. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a translucent or transparent outer layer disposed over the plurality of light sources.

4. The medical device of claim 3, wherein the outer layer extends along a majority of the outer surface of the shaft.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the spacing between the light sources is constant.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the spacing between the light sources is variable.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of light sources is a light emitting diode.

8. The medical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of light sources is a portion of a fiber optic cable adapted to receive light from a remotely located light source.

9. The medical device of claim 8, wherein the light source is located externally from the medical device.

10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the light sources are connected to an externally located source of power or light.

11. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the device is an endoscope.

12. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the arrangement of the light sources indicates the direction and/or orientation of the device.

13. A medical device for insertion into a patient, comprising:

an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinally disposed outer surface; and

means for emitting light along a portion of the shaft outer surface, the emitted light having an intensity sufficient to be the viewable via transillumination.

14. The medical device of claim 13, further comprising a translucent or transparent outer layer disposed over a portion of the outer surface.

15. The medical device of claim 14, wherein the outer layer covers the means for emitting light.

16. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the means for emitting light include light emitting diodes adapted for receiving power from a power source.

17. An endoscope, comprising:

an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinally disposed outer surface; and

a plurality of light sources disposed along the outer surface of the shaft in a spaced apart manner, the light sources configured and arranged to emit light in a direction outwardly of the outer surface with a sufficient intensity to be detected via transillumination.

18. The endoscope of claim 17, further comprising an imaging device disposed at the distal end of the shaft.

19. A method of viewing a medical device in-vivo, comprising:

advancing the medical device through a passageway of a patient, the medical device including light sources disposed along its length;

emitting light from the light sources in-vivo; and

detecting the emitted light by transillumination.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the emitted light from the light sources is indicative of the direction and orientation of the medical device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein emitting light from the light sources in-vivo includes emitting light from the light sources in a sequence that denotes either direction or orientation of the medical device.