Endoscopic device

• US 20070197862A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universite libre de Bruxelles
• Original Assignee: Universite libre de Bruxelles
• Inventors: Cauche, Nicolas, Deviere, Jacques, Delchambre, Alain, Evrard, Sylvie
• Granted Patent: US 8,684,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00087 Tools A61B17/00234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0014 Fastening element for attaching accessories to the outside of an endoscope, e.g. clips, clamps or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments

Abstract

An endoscopic support device configured to support an endoscope during a surgical procedure is disclosed. The endoscopic support device has a connection ring with a height smaller than its diameter and configured to be in an open or deployed position and in a closed or non-deployed position. The support device also has at least two guiding elements, an orientation component, and extension means for manipulating the ring between the deployed and non-deployed positions.

Claims

1. A deployable endoscopic support device, comprising:

a connection ring configured to connect to an endoscope, the ring comprising an element which, in the deployed position of the device has a height smaller than its diameter, and has a central opening such that the ring is configured to be connected to the distal end of an endoscope;

at least two guiding elements configured to be attached to the connection ring, each of the guiding elements configured to receive at least one surgical instrument and to be oriented, independently of the other guiding element, in at least two degrees of freedom in rotation (α

,γ and

α

′

,γ

′

respectively) in a same first orientation plane such that, when a surgical instrument is fixed to one of the guiding elements, the other guiding element is able to confer on the surgical instrument a displacement in at least two dimensions;

an orientation component configured to orient the guiding elements according to the degrees of freedom of the guiding elements;

an extension element configured to convert the endoscopic support device from a non-deployed position to a deployed position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the orientation plane is defined by the two main axes (B and B′

) of the guiding elements.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the arms has a third degree of freedom in rotation (ω

, ω

′

, respectively), such that each of the guiding elements can be oriented in this degree of freedom in a second orientation plane.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the second orientation plane of the guiding elements is defined by the main axis (B or B′

) of the guiding elements and a second axis (D or D′

) corresponding to the axis substantially perpendicular to the first orientation plane.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the guiding elements additionally has a degree of freedom in translation corresponding to the degree of freedom in translation along the main axis of the guiding elements.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the guiding elements additionally has a degree of freedom in rotation corresponding to the degree of freedom in rotation along the main axis of the guiding elements.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the extension element of the device is situated at least in part in the area of the connection ring.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection ring comprises means for remote connection to the endoscope.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the means for connection to the endoscope and the extension element of the device are the same.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein, in its deployed position, and not in operation, the device has a maximum volume in situ, wherein the device presents a maximum conformational and mechanical stability.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein, in its deployed position, and not in operation, the device has in situ a maximum volume which is greater than the minimum volume of the device in the non-deployed position by at least one of at least about 10%, at least about 20%, at least about 30%, at least about 40%, at about least 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90%, at least about 100%, at least about 200%, at least about 300%, at least about 500%, at least about 1000%, and at least about 2000%.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein, in its deployed position, and when the device is not in operation, the operating arms are oriented substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the ring and are substantially parallel to one another.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be coupled to manual or automatic actuation or control means for controlling the actuation of at least one of the orientation component and the extension element.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection ring comprises a flexible membrane and a connection cable, the ring being folded on itself in the non-deployed position of the device and being deployed in the deployed position of the device.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the extension element comprises the connection cable and a fold-back cable, and the extension element is configured to be actuated with rigid guides.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection ring has a rigid structure with a main axis.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the extension element of the support device corresponds to a pivoting device which is configured to pivot the connection ring about its main axis by an angle.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the orientation component comprises a set of cables situated in the area of the guiding elements and are configured to be actuated.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connection ring comprises an inflatable membrane, the membrane being not inflated in the non-deployed position of the device, and being inflated in the deployed position of the device.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the orientation component comprises a fluid circulation circuit comprising compartments situated in the area of the ring and are configured to be filled by a fluid according to an adjustable filling level.

21. The device according to claim 1, wherein the guiding elements are flexible.

22. The device according to claim 1, wherein the guiding elements are arranged opposite each other in relation to the connection ring.

23. The device according to claim 1, wherein the guiding elements comprise optical markers.

24. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the guiding elements the orientation component and the extension element is single-use.

25. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be cleaned and reused at least one time after cleaning.

26. An endoscopy kit comprising the endoscopic support device according to claim 1 and at least one of means for automatic actuation and means for manual actuation of at least one of the orientation component and the extension element.

27. An endoscopy kit comprising an endoscopic support device according to claim 1 and at least one of an endoscope and a surgical instrument.

28. A method for performing a surgical procedure in the body of a patient, the method comprising:

assembling the support device and the means for actuation of claim 28;

introducing the device, in the non-deployed position, by an endoluminal route into the body of the patient to near a site to be treated;

deploying the device in situ with the aid of the extension element;

connecting an endoscope in situ to the device at the distal end of the endoscope;

setting the height at the distal end of the endoscope;

fixing one or more surgical instruments on one or more of the guiding elements;

performing a surgical operation by controlling, via the orientation component, the in situ orientation of the guiding elements, and, consequently, the displacement of the instruments, under the control of the actuation device;

during the operation, varying the orientation of the endoscope and the surgical instruments in relation to the site to be treated;

once the operation has been completed, removing the surgical instruments from the endoscopic support device, disconnecting the endoscopic support device and the endoscope in situ, under the control of the extension element, converting the endoscopic support device in situ from a deployed position to a non-deployed position, and removing the endoscopic support device from the patient'"'"'s body;

taking the endoscopic support device apart; and

at least one of cleaning the endoscopic support device and throwing away the endoscopic device.