Next Generation Endoscope

• US 20110160530A1
• Filed: 03/08/2011
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nitesh Ratnakar
• Original Assignee: Nitesh Ratnakar
• Inventors: Ratnakar, Nitesh
• Granted Patent: US 11,653,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00105 characterised by modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00179 for off-axis viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00181 for multiple fixed viewing angles A61B1/00193 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/012 characterised by internal passages or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0125 Endoscope within endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0625 for multiple fixed illumination angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/364 Correlation of different images or relation of image positions in respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2415 Stereoscopic endoscopes

Abstract

An endoscope system includes a shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis. The system also includes a first image receiver coupled to the shaft portion. The first image receiver is directed toward a first direction to receive an image of a first portion of the interior of a lumen. The system also includes a second image receiver coupled to the shaft portion. The second image receiver is directed toward a second direction to receive an image of a second portion of the interior of the lumen. The first direction is generally opposite the second direction. The system further includes a monitor, wherein the image of the first portion and the image of the second portion are displayed simultaneously on the monitor.

Claims

1. An endoscope system comprising:

a shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis;

a first image receiver coupled to the shaft portion, wherein the first image receiver is directed toward a first direction to receive an image of a first portion of the interior of a lumen;

a second image receiver coupled to the shaft portion, wherein the second image receiver is directed toward a second direction to receive an image of a second portion of the interior of the lumen, and wherein the first direction is generally opposite the second direction; and

a monitor, wherein the image of the first portion and the image of the second portion are displayed simultaneously on the monitor.

2. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein the first image receiver and the second image receiver are lenses.

3. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein the image of the first portion of the lumen also includes an image of at least a portion of the second image receiver.

4. The endoscope system of claim 1, wherein the image of the first portion of the lumen is positioned directly adjacent the image of the second portion of the lumen on the monitor.

5. The endoscope system of claim 4, wherein the image of the first portion of the lumen is oriented relative to the image of the second portion of the lumen such that the radial direction of the image of the first portion is generally parallel to the radial direction of the image of the second portion.

6. The endoscope system of claim 4, wherein the image of the first portion of the lumen and the image of the second portion of the lumen both include a visible portion of the lumen and wherein a dimension of the visible portion when viewed in the image of the first portion is generally the same size as the visible portion when viewed in the image of the second portion.

7. The endoscope system of claim 6, further comprising a tissue removal portion that selectively extends from the shaft portion for removing a portion of the lumen.

8. The endoscope system of claim 6, further comprising an illumination source for illuminating at least the visible portion of the lumen.

9. The endoscope system of claim 1, further comprising a tissue removal portion that selectively extends from the shaft portion for removing a portion of the lumen tissue.

10. The endoscope system of claim 9, wherein the tissue removal portion may be guided by viewing at least one of the image of the first portion of the lumen and the image of the second portion of the lumen.

11. The endoscope system of claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein each housing at least partially encases the first image receiver and a third image receiver, and wherein the first image receiver is directed toward a first direction and the third image receiver is directed toward a second direction, and wherein the first direction is generally opposite the second direction.

12. The endoscope system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator for selectively moving the first image receiver from a first non-deployed position to a second deployed position.

13. A method for performing a procedure within a body, comprising:

interposing an endoscope within a lumen;

receiving a first image of a first portion of the lumen from a first image receiver of the endoscope;

receiving a second image of a second portion of the lumen from a second image receiver of the endoscope;

displaying the first image on a display screen; and

displaying the second image on the display screen adjacent the first image, wherein the image of the first portion of the lumen and the image of the second portion of the lumen both include a visible portion of the lumen.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising orienting the image of the first portion of the lumen relative to the image of the second portion of the lumen such that the radial direction of the image of the first portion is generally parallel to the radial direction of the image of the second portion.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a dimension of the visible portion when viewed in the image of the first portion is generally the same size as the visible portion when viewed in the image of the second portion.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising removing at least a portion of the visible portion.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising interposing a device through the endoscope and in contact with at least a portion of the visible portion.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a third image of a third portion of the lumen from a third image receiver of the endoscope;

receiving a fourth image of a fourth portion of the lumen from a fourth image receiver of the endoscope;

displaying the third image on a display screen; and

displaying the fourth image on the display screen adjacent the third image, wherein the image of the third portion of the lumen and the image of the fourth portion of the lumen both include a second visible portion of the lumen.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising manipulating a characteristic in the first image to be more closely match the characteristic in the second image.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the characteristic is one of color, size, orientation, contrast, and brightness.