System and method of obstruction removal

• US 20060173244A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoffman, David W., Shaw, William J., Rowland, Christopher, O'Connor, John P., Turturro, Vincent, Adams, Mark L., Maseda, Luis J., Boulais, Dennis R., Hovey, Donald C., Couvillon, Lucien Alfred Jr., Banik, Michael S., Brenner, Laurence D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,353,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/156
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00085 Baskets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00091 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00094 Suction openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• 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 1/0607 for annular illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/12 with cooling or rinsing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/125 using fluid circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/126 provided with means for cleaning in-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22092 Lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320775 Morcellators, impeller or propeller like means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/774 Handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0202 with electronic control means or interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0279 Cannula; Nozzles; Tips; their connection means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0283 with at least two inner passageways, a first one for irrigating and a second for evacuating suction-irrigation systems A61M1/77; aspiration tips with fluid supply means A61M1/85; for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention is a system for preparing a patient for an endoscopy procedure, such as a colonoscopy. The endoscopic preparation and examination system includes an endoscope, a source of irrigation and aspiration, and a control unit. The endoscope includes an elongated flexible shaft with a distal tip and a proximal end, at least one aspiration lumen and at least one irrigation lumen. A plurality of irrigation ports are functionally connected to the at least one irrigation lumen and a plurality of aspiration ports are functionally connected to the at least one aspiration lumen. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of clearing an obstructed view in a patient prior to, or during an endoscopic examination.

Claims

1. An endoscope system for clearing an obstruction in a patient, comprising:

an endoscope comprising;

an elongated flexible shaft with a proximal end, a distal tip, and at least one aspiration lumen and at least one irrigation lumen;

wherein the endoscope includes a plurality of irrigation ports functionally connected to the at least one irrigation lumen; and

a plurality of aspiration ports functionally connected to the at least one aspiration lumen; and

a source of irrigation and aspiration that are removably connected to the proximal end of the endoscope and are selectively controlled by a user input device to deliver an irrigant through the at least one irrigation lumen in the endoscope and to aspirate through the at least one aspiration lumen.

2. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of irrigation ports is located on the lateral surface of the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.

3. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of aspiration ports is located on the lateral surface of the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.

4. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of aspiration ports and at least one of the plurality of irrigation ports is located on the distal tip of the endoscope.

5. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the at least one aspiration ports is at least twice the diameter of at least one of the irrigation ports.

6. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of irrigation ports is oval-shaped.

7. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of aspiration ports is oval-shaped.

8. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein the endoscope further comprises an image sensor.

9. The endoscope system of claim 8, wherein the distal tip of the endoscope comprises a tapered portion.

10. The endoscope system of claim 9, wherein the tapered portion tapers to a flat surface that is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.

11. The endoscope of claim 10, wherein the imaging apparatus is disposed on the flat surface.

12. The endoscope of claim 10, wherein the plurality of aspiration ports are located around and proximal to the flat surface.

13. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein the endoscope is disposed of after a single use.

14. An endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope that has an elongated flexible shaft with a proximal end, a distal tip, an imaging apparatus;

at least one aspiration lumen and at least one irrigation lumen;

a source of irrigation and aspiration that are removably connected to the proximal end of the endoscope and are selectively controlled by a control unit to deliver an irrigant through the at least one irrigation lumen in the endoscope and to aspirate the irrigant and/or waste material through the at least one aspiration lumen; and

an excising device disposed at the distal tip of the endoscope, wherein the excising device is capable of mechanically cutting and/or disrupting an obstruction in a patient into a liquefied form for aspiration through the aspiration lumen.

15. The endoscope system of claim 14, wherein the excising device is a macerator disposed within the aspiration lumen.

16. The endoscope system of claim 14, wherein the excising device further includes an energy emitting device.

17. The endoscope system of claim 14, wherein the endoscope is disposed of after a single use.

18. An endoscope system comprising:

an endoscope that has an elongated flexible shaft with a proximal end, a distal tip, an imaging apparatus;

at least one aspiration lumen and at least one irrigation lumen;

a source of irrigation and aspiration that are removably connected to the proximal end of the endoscope and are selectively controlled by a control unit to deliver an irrigant through the at least one irrigation lumen in the endoscope and to aspirate the irrigant and/or waste material through the at least one aspiration lumen; and

a trapping device disposed at the distal tip of the endoscope, wherein the trapping device is capable of trapping liquefied material to be moved and/or aspirated from a subject.

19. The endoscope system of claim 18, wherein the trapping device comprises an expandable distal portion that is selectively expanded.

20. The endoscope system of claim 18, wherein the trapping device is disposed within the aspiration lumen.

21. The endoscope system of claim 18, wherein the endoscope is disposed of after a single use.

22. A method of clearing an obstructed view in a patient, comprising:

detecting an obstruction with an imaging endoscope;

executing a wash routine comprising irrigation and aspiration of the material forming the obstruction;

wherein the wash routine is executed with the imaging endoscope comprising at least one irrigation lumen and at least one aspiration lumen, a plurality of irrigation ports functionally connected to the at least one irrigation lumen and a plurality of aspiration ports functionally connected to the at least one aspiration lumen;

detecting the removal of the obstruction; and

disposing of the imaging endoscope after removal from the patient.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising examining the patient with the imaging endoscope prior to removal of the endoscope from the patient.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising mechanically disrupting the obstruction with an excising device.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising trapping and aspirating the disrupted material forming the obstruction with a trapping device.

26. An endoscope system comprising:

a first preparation-specific endoscope for clearing an obstructed view in a patient, the first endoscope comprising an elongated flexible shaft with a proximal end, a distal tip, at least one aspiration lumen and at least one irrigation lumen, wherein the endoscope includes a plurality of irrigation ports functionally connected to the at least one irrigation lumen; and

a plurality of aspiration ports functionally connected to the at least one aspiration lumen;

a second imaging endoscope for examining the patient, the second endoscope comprising an elongated flexible shaft with a proximal end and a distal tip comprising an imaging sensor; and

a control unit with a connector that is interchangeably and removably connectable to the proximal end of the first or the second endoscope, the control unit comprising a source of irrigation and aspiration that is selectively controlled by a user input device to deliver an irrigant through the at least one irrigation lumen in the first endoscope and to aspirate through the at least one aspiration lumen of the first endoscope; and

image processing means to process an image signal from the second imaging endoscope.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein at least one of the endoscopes is disposed of after a single use.