Endoscope With Guide

• US 20100016659A1
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barry Weitzner
• Original Assignee: Barry Weitzner
• Inventors: Weitzner, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 8,727,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00073 with externally grooved shaft
• 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 1/00154 using guiding arrangements for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00278 Transorgan operations, e.g. transgastric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0034 adapted to be inserted through a working channel of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators

Abstract

An instrument for use with an endoscope may include an elongate section configured to move exterior to the endoscope. The elongate section may include a distal end and a proximal end. The instrument may also include an end effector attached to the distal end of the elongate section, and an actuation device attached to the proximal end of the elongate section. The actuation device may be configured to operate the end effector. The instrument may also include a guiding member coupled to the elongate section. The guiding member may be configured to be coupled to an external surface of the endoscope to permit the guiding member to move longitudinally relative to the endoscope. The guiding member may be coupled to the elongate section such that the end effector may extend past a distal end of the endoscope and move in a transverse direction independent of the movement of the distal end of the endoscope.

Claims

1. An instrument for use with an endoscope comprising;

an elongate section configured to move exterior to the endoscope, the elongate section including a distal end and a proximal end;

an end effector attached to the distal end of the elongate section;

an actuation device attached to the proximal end of the elongate section, the actuation device being configured to operate the end effector; and

a guiding member fixedly coupled to the elongate section, the guiding member being configured to be slidably coupled to an external surface of the endoscope to permit the guiding member to move along a longitudinal axis of the endoscope, the guiding member being fixedly coupled to the elongate section such that the end effector may extend past a distal end of the endoscope and move in a transverse direction independent of the movement of the distal end of the endoscope.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the elongate section is configured to rotate the end effector about one or more axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the guiding member is further configured to permit the elongate section to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the elongate section is configured to move relative to the guiding member in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.

5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the transverse direction includes two mutually perpendicular directions at an angle to the longitudinal axis.

6. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the guiding member is an integral part of the instrument.

7. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the guiding member is removably coupled to the elongate section.

8. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the guiding member is fixedly attached to the elongate section.

9. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the guiding member is configured to interface with a feature on the external surface of the endoscope to stop the movement of the guiding member along the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.

10. The instrument of claim 1, further including the endoscope.

11. The instrument of claim 10, wherein the end effector extends past the distal end of the endoscope by a distance between about 1 cm to 10 cm.

12. The instrument of claim 10, wherein a region of the elongate section between the guiding member and the end effector is configured to move in one or more directions at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope independent of movement of the distal end of the endoscope.

13. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the guiding member includes one or more rings.

14. The instrument of claim 13, wherein the one or more rings include a first ring configured to fit around the instrument and a second ring configured to fit around the endoscope.

15. The instrument of claim 13, wherein the one or more rings includes a hinge configured permit one or more rings to open.

16. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the guiding member is a part of the instrument, the part being configured to mate with a mating feature on the external surface of the endoscope to form a male and female mating connection.

17. The instrument of claim 16, wherein the mating feature is a keyway that extends along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.

18. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the guiding member is coupled to the elongate section at a distance of about 11 cm to 20 cm from the end effector.

19. A method of using an endoscopic instrument at a work site internal to a body comprising:

inserting a distal end of an endoscope into the body;

locating the distal end of the endoscope proximate to the worksite;

coupling an endoscopic instrument to the endoscope, the endoscopic instrument having an elongate section, an end effector attached to a distal end of the elongate section, an actuation device attached to a proximal end of the elongate section to operate the end effector, and a guiding member fixedly coupled to the elongate section between the end effector and the actuation device, the guiding member slidably coupling the endoscopic instrument to an external surface of the endoscope;

moving the endoscopic instrument along a longitudinal axis of the endoscope so that the end effector extends a first distance away from the distal end of the endoscope; and

operating the endoscopic instrument at the worksite, wherein the operating includes moving the distal end of the elongate section and the end effector in a transverse direction independent of movement of the distal end of the endoscope.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first distance is between about 1 cm to about 10 cm.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the guiding member is an integral part of the endoscopic instrument.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the guiding member is positioned at a second distance proximally from the end effector so that when the guiding member is slidably coupled to the external surface of the endoscope, the end effector may extend past the distal end of the endoscope by the first distance to permit the distal end of the elongate section and the end effector to move in one or more directions transverse to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope independent of movement of the distal end of the endoscope.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein coupling the endoscopic instrument further includes fixedly attaching the guiding member to the endoscopic instrument.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein coupling the guiding member includes positioning a ring of the guiding member about at least a portion of the external surface of the endoscope.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein coupling the guiding member includes wrapping a flexible section of the guiding member around the external surface of the endoscope.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein moving the endoscopic instrument further includes rotating the endoscopic instrument around the longitudinal axis.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein operating the endoscopic instrument further includes rotating the end effector about one or more axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein operating the endoscopic instrument includes viewing the end effector through a viewing lumen of the endoscope.

29. The method of claim 19, further including,

coupling a second endoscopic instrument to the external surface of the endoscope;

the second endoscopic instrument having a second end effector attached to a distal end of a second elongate section;

moving the second endoscopic instrument along the longitudinal axis so that the second end effector extends a third distance away from the distal end of the endoscope; and

positioning the second endoscopic instrument, wherein the positioning includes moving the distal end of the second elongate section and the second end effector in one or more directions transverse to the longitudinal axis and independent of movement of the distal end of the endoscope.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the second endoscopic instrument includes moving the distal end of the second elongate section and the second end effector in one or more directions transverse to the longitudinal axis, independent of movement of the distal end of the endoscope, the distal end of the first elongate section, and the first end effector.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein operating the endoscopic instrument includes viewing both endoscopic instruments through a viewing lumen of the endoscope.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the second endoscopic instrument includes rotating the second endoscopic instrument around the longitudinal axis.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein positioning the second endoscopic instrument includes rotating the second end effector about one or more axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the third distance is between about 1 cm to about 10 cm.

35. A medical device comprising;

an endoscope with a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongate section connecting the proximal and distal ends;

an endoscopic instrument with an end effector at a distal end, an actuation device at a proximal end, and a shaft coupling the end effector to the actuation device, the endoscopic instrument extending completely external to the endoscope; and

one or more guiding members immovably coupled to the shaft and slidably coupled to the elongate section to permit the end effector to move along a longitudinal axis of the endoscope, the one or more guiding members being coupled to the shaft such that the end effector may extend past the distal end of the endoscope and move in a transverse direction independent of the movement of the distal end of the endoscope.

36. The medical device of claim 35, wherein a guiding member closest to the end effector is positioned between about 11 cm and about 20 cm from the end effector.

37. The medical device of claim 35, wherein at least one of the one or more guiding members is integral with the shaft.

38. The medical device of claim 35, further including a stop configured to limit the extension of the end effector past the distal end of the endoscope.

39. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the stop is on the endoscope to prevent at least one of the one or more guiding members from sliding past the stop.

40. The medical device of claim 35, wherein the shaft includes a flex section in a region proximate the end effector, the flex section enabling the end effector to move in one or more transverse directions relative to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope.