Flexible visually directed medical intubation instrument and method
First Claim
1. A medical intubation instrument for placement into an animal or human patient comprising, a catheter having a proximal and a distal end and an elongated body formed from flexible biocompatible polymeric material including a longitudinal working channel extending the length thereof with an outlet port that is positioned in alignment with said working channel so as to be located on the distal end of the catheter, said catheter having a second longitudinally extending channel containing a flexible sensor cable with a sensor connected thereto for sensing at least one characteristic or condition in the region ahead of or surrounding the sensor, such that the composite structure comprising the cable and catheter together is able to flex freely so as to enable the instrument to bend for negotiating a curved entry passage or to circumvent an obstruction while the sensor is in operation for determining one or more of said characteristics or conditions within the body of the patient.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible medical intubation instrument provided for placement into an animal or human patient comprises a catheter with at least a pair of longitudinally extending lumens or channels including a sensor and/or actuator channel and a working channel. In the sensor/actuator channel is provided a fixed or slideably removable sensor cable having a sensor for sensing a characteristic or condition including any of the following: a visual sensor for optical viewing, a chemical sensor, a pH sensor, a pressure sensor, an infection sensor, an audio sensor, or a temperature sensor. The sensors are coupled by the sensor/actuator cable through light transmission, electric current, or radio transmission to a viewing instrument or other output device such as a meter or video screen for displaying the condition that is sensed within the body of the patient while the flexibility of the composite structure comprising the catheter and cable enable the entire instrument to flex laterally as it moves through curved passages or around obstructions during insertion or removal. While making observations through the sensor channel, the working channel simultaneously functions as a drain or an irrigation duct, a feeding tube, or to provide a passage for the insertion of one or a succession of surgical devices such that the catheter serves as a protective artificial tract or liner as surgical devices are inserted and removed through it in succession so as to minimize tissue trauma, infection, and pain experienced by the patient. The instrument can be used in urology, as well as a visually directed nasogastric tube, as a visually directed external gastrostomy tube, or as a visually directed internal gastric tube or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube and in other applications.
231 Citations
37 Claims
- 1. A medical intubation instrument for placement into an animal or human patient comprising, a catheter having a proximal and a distal end and an elongated body formed from flexible biocompatible polymeric material including a longitudinal working channel extending the length thereof with an outlet port that is positioned in alignment with said working channel so as to be located on the distal end of the catheter, said catheter having a second longitudinally extending channel containing a flexible sensor cable with a sensor connected thereto for sensing at least one characteristic or condition in the region ahead of or surrounding the sensor, such that the composite structure comprising the cable and catheter together is able to flex freely so as to enable the instrument to bend for negotiating a curved entry passage or to circumvent an obstruction while the sensor is in operation for determining one or more of said characteristics or conditions within the body of the patient.
- 7. A flexible visually directed composite medical intubation instrument for placement into an animal or human patient comprising, a catheter body having a proximal and distal end and being formed from a flexible biocompatible polymeric material that has a longitudinal working channel extending the length thereof with an outlet port that is in alignment with the working channel so as to be located at the distal end of the catheter, said catheter having a second longitudinally extending channel containing a flexible optical cable for providing illumination proximate the distal end of the catheter to enable the body of the patient to be continuously viewed as a composite instrument that comprises the combined cable and catheter is able to flex freely during placement of the instrument through an opening in the body or percutaneously through a surgical opening and an objective optical element coupled at the distal end of the cable for continuous viewing of the body of the patient during insertion of the instrument and after placement of the instrument has been completed.
- 17. A flexible visually directed gastric tube for placement into the stomach or other part of the digestive tract of an animal or human patient comprising, a catheter body having a proximal and distal end and being formed from a flexible biocompatible polymeric material that has a longitudinal working channel extending the length thereof with an outlet port that is in alignment with the working channel so as to be located at the distal end of the catheter, said catheter having a second longitudinally extending viewing channel containing a flexible optical cable to provide illumination proximate the distal end of the catheter that enables the body of the patient to be continuously illuminated during insertion of the instrument through an opening in the body or percutaneously through a surgical opening and an objective optical viewer at the distal end of the cable for viewing a portion of the stomach or other part of the digestive tract of the patient during insertion of the instrument and after placement of the instrument has been completed.
- 23. A method for facilitating the sensing of a characteristic or condition within the body of an animal or human patient comprising the steps of, providing a flexible catheter having a proximal and distal end, said catheter comprising an elongated body formed from flexible biocompatible polymeric material, providing a longitudinal working channel that extends the length of the catheter and has an outlet port positioned in alignment with the working channel so as to be located on the distal end of the catheter, providing said catheter with a second longitudinal channel with an outlet port that is adjacent the port of the working channel, inserting at least one flexible sensor cable having a sensor thereon by sliding the cable into the second channel to an operating position, sensing a characteristic or condition proximate the sensor while the working channel remains available for draining fluid, for irrigation, for feeding the patient or for passing one or a succession of surgical instruments therethrough into the body of the patient and the flexibility of the composite structure comprising the cable and catheter enables the instrument to negotiate curves and circumvent obstructions during said insertion thereof into the body of the patient.
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32. The combination of a medical catheter with a built-in optical viewing device for placement into an animal or human patient comprising, a catheter having an elongated body formed from flexible biocompatible polymeric material including a longitudinal working channel extending substantially from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, said working channel having an outlet port that is positioned at the distal end of the catheter for communicating with the interior of the patient'"'"'s body proximate the distal end of the catheter, said catheter containing a flexible optic cable that is non-removably embedded therein and extends substantially the length therethrough alongside the working channel, said cable having an objective viewing element to provide an image of the region ahead of or surrounding the viewing element, such that the composite structure that comprises the cable and catheter together is able to flex freely so as to enable the composite structure to bend while negotiating a curved entry passage or circumventing an obstruction with the viewing element in operation for providing an image within the body of the patient as the catheter is being inserted therein, such that the working channel is available for drainage;
- for irrigation or for the passage of medical instruments therethrough while the patient is viewed through the optical cable.
- View Dependent Claims (35)
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37. A method of using a surgical instrument for facilitating examination or for performing a surgical operation on the body of a patient comprising,
providing a flexible working sheath for insertion into a body cavity at the beginning of a surgical procedure, providing said sheath with an elongated tubular body having a first longitudinal lumen of sufficient size to accommodate elongated sensing devices or other medical devices that are inserted through the lumen of the sheath into the body of a patient, said first lumen having an opening at a proximal and distal end thereof, providing a second lumen in the sheath that is open at both ends thereof for irrigation or to act as a drain, placing a removable viewing cable in the first lumen of the sheath to provide stiffness for the instrument so as to facilitate the insertion of the working sheath into the body of the patient, placing said instrument during use percutaneously or through a body passage into a body cavity within the body of the patient and allowing the instrument to remain substantially stationary until the examination or procedure is complete, such that while remaining in place the viewing cable is removed from the working sheath and one or more of the said sensing devices or other medical devices is passed through the first lumen into the body through the sheath, said sheath thereby serving as a single insertion instrument which provides an artificial protective lining in a body opening through which it is passed to minimize tissue trauma and discomfort or pain for the patient during the passage or said devices therethrough while the second lumen enables fluid to be transferred to or from the patient.
Specification