SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS HAVING AN OVERTUBE FOR ACCESSING A BODILY OPENING

• US 20090093675A1
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wilson-Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Surti, Vihar C.
• Application Number:
  US12/247,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093675A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00135 Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3488 Fixation to inner organ or inner body tissue

Abstract

Medical systems, devices and methods are provided for accessing a bodily opening that, among other things, are safe, reliable and repeatable. A medical system for accessing a bodily opening generally includes a medical instrument and an overtube. The overtube defines an overtube lumen that is sized to receive the medical instrument. The overtube includes a distal end having a tapered portion and a plurality of longitudinally extending slits defining a plurality of flaps. The tapered portion of the overtube is sized relative to the medical instrument such that translation of the medical instrument through the distal end of the overtube forces the plurality of flaps to move radially outwardly.

Claims

1. A medical system for accessing a bodily opening defined by tissue, the medical system comprising:

a medical instrument; and

an overtube defining an overtube lumen sized to receive the medical instrument, the overtube and the overtube lumen defining a longitudinal axis, the overtube including a distal end having a tapered portion and a plurality of longitudinally extending slits defining a plurality of flaps;

the tapered portion of the overtube sized relative to the medical instrument such that distal translation of the medical instrument through the distal end of the overtube forces the plurality of flaps to move radially between an introduction configuration to an operative configuration,

the plurality of flaps engaging each other at a distal tip of the overtube to substantially close the overtube lumen in the introduction configuration, the plurality of flaps moved radially outwardly in the operative configuration.

2. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the overtube forms a fluidic seal with the tissue.

3. The medical system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of flaps include side edges, and wherein the side edges of adjacent flaps abut each other in the operative configuration.

4. The medical system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of flaps form the fluidic seal with the tissue.

5. The medical system of claim 2, wherein the tissue extends between the flaps and forms a fluidic seal with the medical instrument when the medical instrument is extended through the distal end of the overtube.

6. The medical system of claim 2, wherein a portion of the overtube that is proximal to the plurality of flaps forms the fluidic seal with the tissue.

7. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal length of the flaps is less than or about equal to a thickness of the tissue defining the bodily opening.

8. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the distal tip is flared radially outwardly to define a lip.

9. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the medical instrument is an endoscope, and wherein a diameter of the overtube lumen is reduced along the tapered portion of the distal end, the reduced diameter of the overtube lumen being smaller than an outer diameter of the endoscope.

10. The medical system of claim 9, wherein a proximal end of each of the plurality of slits is located along the tapered portion of the distal end.

11. An overtube for accessing a bodily opening defined by tissue, the overtube comprising:

a tubular body defining an overtube lumen and a longitudinal axis, the tubular body having a proximal end and a tapered distal end, the tapered distal end having a plurality of longitudinally extending slits defining a plurality of flaps, the tapered distal end having a distal tip flared radially outwardly;

the overtube operable between an introduction configuration and an operative configuration, the plurality of flaps moving radially outwardly as the overtube is operated from the introduction configuration to the operative configuration.

12. The overtube of claim 11, wherein the flared distal tip is configured to engage the bodily opening.

13. The overtube of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of flaps include side edges, and wherein the side edges of adjacent flaps abut each other in the introduction configuration.

14. The overtube of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of flaps include side edges, and wherein the side edges of adjacent flaps overlap each other in the introduction configuration.

15. A method for accessing a bodily opening via a bodily lumen, the method comprising:

providing a medical instrument and an overtube, the overtube defining an overtube lumen sized to receive the medical instrument, the overtube and the overtube lumen defining a longitudinal axis, the overtube having a proximal end and distal end, the distal end having a tapered portion and a plurality of longitudinally extending slits defining a plurality of flaps;

translating the overtube through the bodily lumen;

moving the overtube through the bodily opening; and

translating the medical instrument through the overtube such that the plurality of flaps move radially outwardly.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of flaps move radially outwardly to engage the bodily opening.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the medical instrument is an endoscope, and further comprising the steps of translating a surgical tool through the distal end of the overtube and forming the bodily opening with the surgical tool.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the surgical tool is translated through a working channel of the endoscope and through the distal end of the overtube while a distal end of the endoscope is positioned within the overtube.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of retracting the surgical tool and translating the overtube through the bodily opening prior to the step of translating the endoscope through the overtube.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of forming the bodily opening includes manipulating the overtube and surgical tool together such that the distal end of the overtube serves to shield a portion of the surgical tool.