Multi-functional endoscopic system for use in electrosurgical applications

• US 20060106281A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoffman, David, Rowland, Christopher, O'Connor, John P., Turturro, Vincent, Boulais, Dennis R., Banik, Michael S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,357,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00103 designed for single use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00105 characterised by modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/12 with cooling or rinsing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

A multi-functional endoscopic system, for use in electrosurgical applications, that includes an imaging endoscope that may be used in combination with various electrosurgical devices, all of which are sufficiently inexpensive to manufacture, such that the endoscope and electrosurgical devices are considered single use, disposable items. The multi-functional endoscopic system of the present invention is suitable for use with a variety of common electrosurgical devices that require electrical/electronic support in order to function. The electrical/electronic support for these electrosurgical devices (e.g., an electrosurgical generator and associated controls) is integrated with the operator console of the imaging endoscope of the multi-functional endoscopic system of the present invention, rather than provided as a separate device. In another embodiment of the invention, an imaging endoscope is provided that integrates or combines the functions of both an imaging endoscope and an electrosurgical device, which can be controlled by a single handheld controller.

Claims

1. A multi-functional endoscopic system, comprising:

an imaging endoscope;

an operator console coupled with the imaging endoscope;

at least one electrosurgical device coupled with the imaging endoscope; and

an electrical/electronic support for the at least one electrosurgical device, which is integrated into the operator console.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging endoscope is configured to be disposable after a single use.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging endoscope is coupled to the operator console via a quick-release mechanism.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrosurgical device is configured to be disposable after a single use.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrosurgical device is selected from the group consisting of a biopsy device, a snare device, a Tomes cutter, an injection device, a probe device, a needle knife device, a spatula device, a basket device, an ultrasonic device, an RF device, and an argon plasma ablation device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical/electronic support for the at least one electrosurgical device comprises an electrosurgical generator.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator console comprises a memory that stores information including one or more of:

user information, user preferences, type of and default settings of the at least one electrosurgical device, and electrosurgical generator settings.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging endoscope and the at least one electrosurgical device are integrally formed.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging endoscope comprises at least one working channel through which the at least one electrosurgical device is inserted.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator console comprises an RFID reader and each of the at least one electrosurgical device comprises an RFID tag.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one electrosurgical device comprises an optical memory containing device type information.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a video display coupled to the operator console, the video display being configured to provide a graphical representation specific to the at least one electrosurgical device after the operator console determines the type of the at least one electrosurgical device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the graphical representation specific to the at least one electrosurgical device permits a user to select the energy level of the electrical/electronic support.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging endoscope comprises a handheld controller, the handheld controller being coupled to the operator console, and the handheld controller being configured to control the operation of the imaging endoscope and the at least one electrosurgical device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one electrosurgical device is coupled to the imaging endoscope at the handheld controller.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the handheld controller is configured to selectively activate the electrical/electronic support for the at least one electrosurgical device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the handheld controller comprises an activation button, which accepts input from a human operator to thereby selectively activate the electric/electronic support for the at least one electrosurgical device.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the handheld controller comprises a handheld manual controller.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data management system coupled to the operator console.

20. A multi-functional endoscopic system for use in surgical applications, comprising:

an imaging endoscope;

an operator console coupled with the imaging endoscope;

a handheld controller coupled with the operator console; and

at least one surgical device coupled with the handheld controller;

wherein the handheld controller is configured to control the operation of the imaging endoscope and the at least one surgical device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one surgical device is integrally formed with the imaging endoscope.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the handheld controller comprises a handheld manual controller including a rotary knob which is configured, in one mode, to articulate a distal tip of the imaging endoscope, and in another mode, to manipulate the at least one surgical device.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the imaging endoscope and the at least one surgical device are configured to be disposable after a single use.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the imaging endoscope is coupled to the operator console via a quick-release mechanism.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one surgical device is selected from the group consisting of a spatula device, a needle-knife device, a snare, and forceps.

26. A multi-functional endoscopic system for use in surgical applications, comprising:

an imaging endoscope;

a handheld controller coupled to the imaging endoscope; and

at least one surgical device integrally formed with the imaging endoscope, the at least one surgical device being coupled to the handheld controller;

wherein the handheld controller is configured to control the operation of the imaging endoscope and the at least one surgical device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the handheld controller comprises a handheld manual controller including a rotary knob which is configured, in one mode, to articulate a distal tip of the imaging endoscope, and in another mode, to manipulate the at least one surgical device.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the imaging endoscope and the at least one surgical device integrally formed with the imaging endoscope are configured to be disposable after a single use.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one surgical device is selected from the group consisting of a spatula device, a needle-knife device, a snare, and forceps.

30. An operator console, comprising:

an operator console for an imaging endoscope; and

an electrical/electronic support for at least one electrosurgical device, the electrical/electronic support being integrated with the operator console.

31. The operator console of claim 30, wherein the electrical/electronic support for at lease one electrosurgical device comprises an electrosurgical generator.

32. The operator console of claim 30, wherein the electrical/electronic support is configured to support at least one electrosurgical device selected from the group consisting of a biopsy device, a snare device, a Tomes cutter, an injection device, a probe device, a needle knife device, a spatula device, a basket device, an ultrasonic device, an RF device, and an argon plasma ablation device.

33. The operator console of claim 30, wherein the operator console comprises a memory that stores information including one or more of:

user information, user preferences, type of and default settings of the at least one electrosurgical device, and electrosurgical generator settings.

34. The operator console of claim 30, further comprising an RFID reader.

35. The operator console of claim 30, further comprising a video display coupled to the operator console, the video display being configured to provide a graphical representation specific to the at least one electrosurgical device after the operator console determines the type of the at least one electrosurgical device.

36. A multi-functional electrosurgical system, comprising:

at least one electrosurgical device, each electrosurgical device comprising a smart device containing information directed to a type of the electrosurgical device; and

an operator console comprising an electrical/electronic support for the at least one electrosurgical device;

wherein the operator console is configured to determine the type of the at least one electrosurgical device based on the smart card and to operate the electrical/electronic support based on the determination.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the operator console further comprises a memory that stores default settings for the at least one electrosurgical device, and the operator console is further configured to retrieve the default settings for the at least one electrosurgical device from the memory after determining the type of the at least one electrosurgical device.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the smart device further contains information regarding working parameters of the electrosurgical device.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the at least one electrosurgical device is selected from the group consisting of a biopsy device, a snare device, a Tomes cutter, an injection device, a probe device, a needle knife device, a spatula device, a basket device, an ultrasonic device, an RF device, and an argon plasma ablation device.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein the smart device comprises an RFID tag and the operator console comprises an RFID reader.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein the operator console further comprises a video display, which is configured to provide a graphical representation specific to the at least one electrosurgical device after the operator console determines the type of the at least one electrosurgical device.