Endoscope with removable eyepiece

• US 4,736,733 A
• Filed: 02/25/1987
• Issued: 04/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medical Dynamics, Inc. (Eastman Kodak Company)
• Original Assignee: Medical Dynamics, Inc. (Eastman Kodak Company)
• Inventors: Adair, Edwin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US07/018,630
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/5, 128/6, 128/7, 128/8, 604/264, 604/280, 604/283
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00126 optical, e.g. for light supply cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00128 mechanical, e.g. for tubes or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00195 with eyepieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/317 for bones or joints, e.g. osteoscopes, arthroscopes

Abstract

A sterilizable catheter of micro-thin diameter has a central coherent fiber bundle for carrying an image to a viewing means, which is surrounded by light fibers. The proximate end of the catheter is provided with a coupling means for aligning the coherent optical bundle with the optical system of the viewing means and for providing an interface with light transmitting means to transmit light from a light source to the body cavity. The coupling means has a diameter no bigger than the diameter of the covering of the catheter. When the catheter is used in a trochar, the trochar can be removed while the catheter remains in place. This is accomplished by removing the viewing means and sliding the trochar over the catheter and then replacing the viewing means for further viewing within the body cavity. The catheter of this invention may be provided in various sizes, each having coupling means for reception in any one of a plurality of sockets in a video monitor which are sized for the various catheters to provide an image to the video monitor screen.

Claims

1. A sterilizable catheter for viewing and/or treatment within body cavities by nonsurgical or micro-surgical procedures and having a distal end for insertion into a body cavity and a proximate end, said apparatus comprising:

a coherent fiber optical bundle having a micro-thin diameter and extending from said distal end to a point adjacent said proximate end and having a planar surface at its proximate end;

a tubular inner cover extending over at least a portion of said bundle;

a plurality of light transmitting fibers spaced around said inner cover;

a tubular outer cover extending over said fibers to hold them in place, said outer cover extending from said distal end to a point spaced from said proximate end;

optical lens means at said distal end of said optical bundle to focus an image of a portion of the cavity on said distal end of said optical bundle for transmission through said optical bundle; and

a coupling means for removably connecting said catheter to a viewing means in fixed angular relationship, fixedly attached to said proximate end of said catheter and having a diameter no larger than the diameter of said outer covering so that said catheter can pass completely through a trochar lumen.

2. A catheter, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes:

alignment means to angularly align the optical bundle with said viewing means.

3. A catheter, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said alignment means includes:

a longitudinal groove extending along said coupling means for alignment with a longitudinal rib in the viewing means.

4. A catheter, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said viewing means includes:

a removable eyepiece having a socket for slidably receiving said coupling means in aligned relationship for viewing; and

a console containing optics and a viewing screen having a socket for slidably receiving said coupling means when not on said eyepiece, for viewing the body cavity on said viewing screen.

5. A catheter, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said console includes:

a rotatable member having a plurality of sockets spaced therearound selectively alignable with said optics, each socket being of a different diameter for accommodating catheters of different diameters.

6. A method of using a sterilizable catheter for viewing and/or treatment within body cavities by nonsurgical or micro-surgical procedures which has a distal end for insertion into a body cavity and a proximate end with coupling means of no greater diameter than the body of the catheter, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting the distal end of the catheter into a body cavity;

attaching a first removable optic means to the coupling means to view the body cavity;

disconnecting the first removable optic means from the coupling means; and

attaching a second removable optic means to the coupling means to view the body cavity.

7. A method of using a sterilizable catheter for viewing and/or treatment within body cavities by nonsurgical or micro-surgical procedures which has a distal end for insertion into a cavity and a proximate end with coupling means of no greater diameter than the body of the catheter, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a trochar into a body cavity;

inserting the catheter into the body cavity through the lumen of the trochar;

attaching a removable optic means to the coupling means;

viewing the body cavity through the catheter via the optic means;

disconnecting the optic means from the coupling means;

removing the trochar over the coupling means of the catheter while leaving the catheter in place;

reattaching the optic means to the coupling means; and

resuming the viewing of the body cavity through the catheter via the optic means.