Endoscope comprising a flexible probe

• US 20070129605A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PolyDiagnost GmbH
• Original Assignee: PolyDiagnost GmbH
• Inventors: Schaaf, Hansgeorg
• Granted Patent: US 8,333,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/146
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments

Abstract

An endoscope comprising a flexible catheter probe 1 having a plurality of lumens, a handle 12 provided at the proximal end of the probe, an optical system 6 provided in at least one optical system lumen of the catheter probe 1, at least one working lumen for a surgical instrument and a control element which is fixed to the distal end 20 of the probe or in the proximity thereof for bending the end of the probe and is guided movably in the axial direction at the probe, wherein the optical system 6 which projects beyond the proximal end of the catheter probe 1 is guided in a flexible tube which is elastically resilient in its longitudinal direction and exerts a prestressing on the optical system in the longitudinal direction thereof in a direction towards the translucently closed optical system lumen.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising a flexible catheter probe having a plurality of lumens, a handle provided at the proximal end of the probe, an optical system provided in at least one optical system lumen of the catheter probe, at least one working lumen for a surgical instrument and a control element which is fixed to the distal end of the probe or in the proximity thereof for bending the end of the probe and is guided movably in the axial direction at the probe,

characterised in that

the optical system which projects beyond the proximal end of the catheter probe is guided movably in a flexible tube;

the tube is elastically resilient in its longitudinal direction and is fixedly connected at a fixing location to the optical system; and

the distal end of the optical system is pressed by the tube against a translucent cover which closes the distal end of the optical system lumen.

2. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the fixing location is provided at the proximal end of the tube.

3. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein provided at the proximal end of the optical system is a connecting portion which is connectable to an illumination device and/or to an ocular.

4. An endoscope according to claim 3, wherein the fixing location is provided at the connecting portion.

5. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the flexible tube is arranged outside the handle.

6. An endoscope of claim 1, wherein, at its proximal end, the catheter probe is mounted rotatably to the handle in a rotary bearing through which the control element is displaceably guided.

7. An endoscope according to claim 6, wherein a releasable fixing device for the catheter probe is provided on the rotary bearing.

8. An endoscope according to claim 6, wherein the rotary bearing has a manually actuable rotary portion which is non-rotatably connected to the catheter probe.

9. An endoscope according to claim 7, wherein the control element is passed through the fixing device.

10. An endoscope according to claim 7, wherein the proximal end of the control element is passed through the fixing device.

11. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the catheter has a balloon to which a dilation medium can be fed by way of a balloon lumen in the catheter probe.

12. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein a guide wire can be guided through a guide wire lumen which extends from the distal end of the probe to an exit opening in the catheter, the exit opening being behind the balloon.

13. An endoscope according to claim 9, wherein the control element is arranged in a flexible support tube which is arranged in a control lumen of the catheter probe and terminates at a given spacing from the distal end of the probe, wherein the given spacing corresponds approximately to the length of a distal portion of the probe, which is to be bent over by the control element.

14. An endoscope according to claim 9, wherein the control element is fixed to the distal end of the catheter probe by a shrink tube or by an adhesive.

15. An endoscope according to claim 14, wherein the support tube is fixed at a fixing location in the axial direction and the remaining portion of the support tube is supported movably with respect to the inside wall of the control lumen.

16. An endoscope according to claim 14, wherein the fixing location is provided at the distal end of the support tube or in the proximity thereof.

17. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the surgical implement is removable from the at least one working lumen or is incorporated or integrated into the catheter probe.

18. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the catheter probe is in the form of a disposable component.

19. An endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the catheter probe is an injection molded component or an extruded component.