MEDICAL DEVICE MADE WITH A SUPER ALLOY

• US 20090118577A9
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Mackey, Timothy E., Snay, James P.
• Application Number:
  US11/842,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20080045787A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/307 for the urinary organs, e.g. urethroscopes, cystoscopes

Abstract

A medical device with a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having an operational interface, the distal end having a working element, and the shaft may include a super alloy. In one example embodiment, the shaft may include a cobalt base alloy. In another example embodiment, a medical device includes a first portion having a super alloy, and a second portion having a dissimilar metal joined to the first portion by an arc welding technique. In another possible embodiment, a first portion includes a cobalt base alloy, and a second portion includes a non-metal joined to the first portion. The inventive subject matter also includes a method for joining a cobalt base alloy to a dissimilar metal by hermetic sealing, such as provided, for example, by an arc welding technique.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end,

the proximal end having an operational interface;

the distal end having a working element and

the shaft comprising a super alloy.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the shaft is solid.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises a longitudinal channel.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the operational interface comprises a handle.

5. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a control section at the proximal end for controlling the working element.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the working element comprises a port in communication with a channel disposed in the shaft.

7. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising an imaging system disposed at the distal end of the shaft.

8. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the operational interface is connected or connectable to an image processing system.

9. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the imaging system comprises an imaging sensor.

10. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the imaging system comprises an optical view port.

11. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a housing joined to the shaft at a shaft portion comprising a super alloy, and the housing portion joined to the shaft comprising a metal dissimilar from the super alloy.

12. The medical device of claim 11, wherein the shaft and the housing are joined by an arc welding process.

13. The medical device of claim 12, wherein the shaft and the housing are joined by a Tungsten Inert Gas welding process.

14. The medical device of claim 13, wherein the shaft and housing are joined by a micro Tungsten Inert Gas welding process.

15. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises a cobalt base alloy with a significant amount of chromium.

16. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises about 20 wt.-% Chromium, about 35 wt.-% Nickel, and about 35 wt.-% Cobalt.

17. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises cobalt base alloy MP35N™

.

18. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the shaft is adapted to deliver a guided device to a region comprising the ureter, bladder, kidney, or gynecological areas of a patient.

19. An endoscope comprising:

a proximal end having an operational interface;

a distal end having a working element; and

an elongated, semi-rigid, one-piece shaft, between the distal end and the proximal end, comprising a cobalt base alloy.

20. The endoscope of claim 19, wherein the endoscope is adapted for use as a ureteroscope.

21. The endoscope of claim 19, wherein the endoscope is hermetically sealed via at least one melted metal joint joining a portion of the shaft comprising the cobalt base alloy to another portion.

22. The endoscope of claim 19, further comprising a housing connected to the shaft via an hermetically sealed joint.

23. The endoscope of claim 22, wherein the housing comprises stainless steel.

24. The endoscope of claim 22, wherein the housing comprises aluminum.

25. The endoscope of claim 22, wherein the housing comprises stainless steel and aluminum.

26. A ureteroscope comprising:

a proximal end including an eyepiece and a light guide connector post;

a distal end including a distal lens;

a semi-rigid shaft including two working channels, optical imaging fibers, and light carrier fibers; and

the shaft comprising a cobalt base alloy.

27. A medical device comprising:

a first portion comprising a super alloy, and

a second portion comprising a dissimilar metal joined to the first portion via an hermetic seal.

28. The medical device of claim 27, wherein the device is an endoscope, and the hermetic seal is provided by an arc welding technique.

29. The medical device of claim 27, wherein the first portion allows a distal portion of the device to flex relative to a proximal portion.

30. A medical device comprising:

a first portion comprising a cobalt base alloy, and

a second portion comprising a non-metal joined to the first portion via an hermetic seal.

31. The medical device of claim 30, further comprising a distal portion to the first portion and a proximal portion to the second portion wherein the first portion allows the distal portion of the device to flex relative to a proximal portion.

32. The medical device of claim 30, wherein the non-metal comprises an optically transmissive material.

33. The medical device of claim 31, wherein the non-metal comprises glass.

34. The medical device of claim 31, wherein the non-metal comprises sapphire.

35. The medical device of claim 31, wherein the distal portion comprises at least one working element and the proximal portion comprises at least one operational interface.

36. A method for making a medical device, comprising:

providing a first component of the medical device comprising a cobalt base alloy;

providing a second component of the medical device comprising a metal dissimilar to the cobalt base alloy;

and joining the components using a technique providing an hermetic seal.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the technique is an arc welding technique.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the arc welding technique is a Tungsten Inert Gas welding technique.

39. A medical device, comprising a first component of a medical device and a second component of a medical device, one of the components comprising a cobalt base alloy, and other component comprising a dissimilar material, the components joined via an hermetic seal.

40. The medical device of claim 39, wherein the hermetic seal being provided via a Tungsten Inert Gas welding technique.

41. The medical device of claim 40, wherein the arc welding technique comprises a micro Tungsten Inert Gas welding technique.

42. A method of making an endoscope, comprising:

providing a first component of the endoscope comprising a cobalt base alloy and providing a second component of the endoscope comprising a metal dissimilar to the cobalt base alloy and joining the components using an arc welding technique.

43. An endoscope, having a first component comprising a cobalt base alloy and a second component comprising a metal dissimilar to the cobalt base alloy, and a joint between the components effected by an arc welding technique.

44. The endoscope of claim 43, wherein the arc welding technique comprises a Tungsten Inert Gas welding technique.

45. The endoscope of claim 44, wherein the arc welding technique comprises a micro Tungsten Inert Gas welding technique.