Alternating propulsion type endoscope and continuous drive type endoscope

• US 20060149130A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: invendo medical GmbH (AMBU)
• Original Assignee: STM Medizintechnik Starnberg GmbH
• Inventors: Viehbach, Thomas, Pauker, Fritz, Bob, Konstantin
• Granted Patent: US 7,798,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00085 Baskets
• 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 1/01 Guiding arrangements therefore

Abstract

An endoscope preferably comprising an alternating propulsion system in which an endoscope shaft is advanced by means of an auxiliary means (e.g. a hose preferably including fluid pads or a guiding wire/net) in a canal-shaped cavity by the fact that the endoscope shaft and the auxiliary means are alternately resting with respect to a cavity to be inspected and, at the same time, the element not at rest can be advanced while being guided along the resting element into the cavity, or are simultaneously moved forward, wherein in the latter case the basic stiffness of the auxiliary means is higher than that of the shaft.

Claims

1. An alternating propulsion type endoscope, comprising an endoscope shaft (1) and an auxiliary means (5, 17), characterized in that the endoscope is adapted to be propelled into the cavity by alternately retaining the endoscope shaft (1) and the auxiliary means (5, 17) with respect to a canal-shaped cavity to be inspected and simultaneously propelling the element which is just not retained while being guided along the element retained at the moment.

2. An endoscope according to claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary means (5, 17) forms a guide extending along the endoscope shaft (1) at least in portions.

3. An endoscope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the endoscope shaft (1) and the auxiliary means (5, 17) have different basic flexibilities.

4. An endoscope according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexibility of the auxiliary means (5) and/or of the endoscope shaft (1) is variable at least temporarily.

5. An endoscope according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the curvature of the endoscope shaft (1) is adjustable at least at the leading end portion thereof.

6. An endoscope according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the auxiliary means can be brought into the idle position with respect to the cavity wall by pressing against the wall of an examined cavity.

7. An endoscope according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the auxiliary means is a hose (5) surrounding the shaft or being located inside a working conduit of the shaft.

8. An endoscope according to claim 7, characterized in that the hose (5) is provided with hollow spaces preferably in the form of ducts or fluid pads (6) at the outer or inner circumference or in its wall.

9. An endoscope according to claim 8, characterized in that the fluid pads (6) are arranged such that they overlap at least partly in the longitudinal direction of the hose (5).

10. An endoscope according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the fluid pads (6) are arranged at least at a leading end portion of the hose (5).

11. An endoscope according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the endoscope shaft is provided with hollow spaces preferably in the form of duct:

or fluid pads which are adapted to be filled or are filled with a medium for a temporary stiffening of the shaft.

12. An endoscope according to any one of the claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the flexibility of the hose/endoscope shaft is variable by varying the pressure o the fluid provided in the fluid pads (6) or ducts.

13. An endoscope according to any one of the claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the flexibility of the hose/endoscope shaft is variable by changing the physical state of the medium provided in the fluid pads (6) or ducts.

14. An endoscope according to any one of the claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the distal end of the hose (5) is fastened to an endoscope head (2) provided at the distal end of the endoscope in a fluid-tight manner.

15. An endoscope according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the auxiliary means is a guiding wire (17) including a foldable cage (18) arranged at the leading end thereof.

16. An endoscope according to claim 15, characterized in that the cage (18) is tapered to the front.

17. A continuous drive type endoscope, comprising an endoscope shaft (1) and at least one guiding means (16a, 17a, 18a) which upon propulsion of the endoscope shaft (1) into a canal-shaped cavity to be examined guides the endoscope shaft (1), characterized in that the guiding means (16a, 17a, 18a) acting as stiffness adjusting means varies its stiffness depending on the cavity to be examined.

18. The endoscope according to claim 17, characterized in that a flexural strength of the at least one guiding/stiffness adjusting means (16a, 17a, 18a) is variable.

19. The endoscope according to claim 18, characterized in that the at least one guiding/stiffness adjusting means (16a) preferably is a hose or catheter hose in which a guiding element (17a, 18a) is glidingly supported.

20. The endoscope according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the at least one guiding/stiffness adjusting means (16a) is disposed at the endoscope shaft (1).

21. The endoscope according to claim 20, characterized in that the at least one guiding/stiffness adjusting means (17a, 18a) is arranged at the circumference or in the interior of the endoscope shaft (1) and extends in the longitudinal direction of the endoscope shaft (1).

22. The endoscope according to claim 17, characterized in that the at least one guiding/stiffness adjusting means (17a, 18a) preferably comprises a guiding wire (17a) including a loop (18a) which is provided at one end thereof and projects from a distal end portion of the endoscope shaft (1).