Endoscope with expansible cuff member and operation section

• US 4,224,929 A
• Filed: 11/03/1978
• Issued: 09/30/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Furihata, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tayon, Jeffrey W.
• Application Number:
  US05/957,567
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 128/3-8, 128/325, 128/349 B, 128/349 BU, 128/633-634, 356/241, 350/96.26, 350/96.25
• US Class Current: 600/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00098 Deflecting means for inserted tools
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters

Abstract

An endoscope includes a distal end section, a pair of axially spaced annular cuffs mounted on the distal end section or a cuff member mounted on the distal end section having an opening formed in its intermediate portion and sealingly fitted at its edge portions on the distal end section, and a chamber formed in the distal end section and opened at the opening in the cuff member. By the expansion of the cuffs or the cuff member, a closed space is defined by the inner surface of a body cavity where an affected part exists, and the cuffs or the cuff member, and a medical instrument is accessible to the affected part through the chamber with blood or other body fluids cleared from the space during the treatment of the affected part. A communication duct extends along the digital end section such that it allows the blood or other body fluids to freely flow in the body cavity while the affected part is being treated.

Claims

1. An endoscope comprising:

a flexible sheath having two ends;

a control section connected to one of said two ends of the sheath;

an elongated distal end section connected to the other end of the sheath and having an outer periphery;

a single, unitary expansible cuff member mounted on the outer periphery of the distal end section and provided at an intermediate part of said cuff with an opening being defined by said cuff, said cuff member having a portion thereof defining a peripheral edge of said opening, said peripheral edge being sealingly fixed to the outer periphery of the distal end section so that said cuff member is sealingly engaged on said distal end section, said cuff member having an end portion on either end of said opening, said end portions being spaced longitudinally of said distal end section and sealingly fixed to the outer periphery of the distal end section;

an illumination window and observation window both provided in the outer periphery of said distal end section and disposed within said cuff member;

fluid passage means extending through said sheath and in said control section and said distal end section and communicating with said cuff member for conducting a fluid into said cuff member for inflation thereof, the sealing contact between said cuff and said distal end section adjacent said cuff member opening preventing fluid from escaping from said cuff member;

fluid inlet means provided on said control section and communicating with said fluid passage means for conducting fluid from a source into said fluid passage means;

illuminating light transmitting means extending through said sheath and in said distal end section and control section and having two end areas, one end area being optically connected to said illumination window;

observation light transmitting means extending in said distal end section and through said sheath and said control section having two extremities, one extremity being optically connected to said observation window;

an ocular mounted on said control section and optically connected to another extremity of said observation light transmitting means;

a chamber formed in said distal end section and opening at that portion of the outer periphery of said distal end section which is disposed in the opening of the cuff member, said chamber allowing an elongated medical instrument to be extended out of the chamber and into the space between said cuff member end portions for contacting the inner surface of a body cavity in which said distal end section is located;

a channel extending through said sheath and in said distal end section and said control section and having first and second ends, said first end communicating with said chamber, said channel being adapted to guide a medical instrument to said chamber; and

an instrument inlet mounted on said control section and communicating with said channel second end.

2. The endoscope according to claim 1, further including a communication duct which extends axially in said distal end section and has inlet and exit ends opening at those portions of the outer periphery of said distal end section which are disposed in said cuff member end portions to define a bypass for said cuff member.

3. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said cuff member is expansible radially of said distal end section as fluid is introduced into said cuff member.

4. The endoscope according to claim 3, wherein a communication duct extends axially in the distal end section and has first and second end areas opening at those portions of the outer periphery of the distal end section which are disposed beyond said cuff member to define a bypass by said cuff member.

5. The endoscope according to claim 1, wherein said cuff member except for said opening and said two end sections of the cuff member is expansible radially of said distal end section as fluid is conducted into said cuff member through said fluid passage means.

6. The endoscope according to claim 5, wherein said cuff member has a channel defining section which forms a communication channel extending along the cuff member for conducting fluid by said cuff member.

7. The endoscope according to claim 1 further including means connected to said chamber for removing material via said channel from the space defined by said cuff member ends and the internal surface of the body cavity in which said distal end is located.

8. The endoscope according to claim 1 further including instrument orienting means connected to said distal end adjacent said chamber for orienting an instrument extending out of said chamber.

9. The endoscope according to claim 8 further including an instrument control member connected to said instrument orienting means and mounted on said control section.

10. The endoscope according to claim 1 wherein the medical instrument includes forceps.