Tissue vaporizing accessory and method for an endoscope
First Claim
1. A tissue vaporizing accessory for an endoscope, the endoscope having a flexible, tubular body with a viewing end and a working end insertable into a fluid-filled medium and further includingi. a viewing channel having an observation port for transmitting an image of a defined field of view around the working end of the endoscope to a viewing port positioned at the viewing end of the endoscope;
- ii. an illumination port positioned at the working end of the endoscope for illuminating the defined field of view around the observation port;
iii. a hollow instrument channel extending from the viewing end to the working end of the endoscope;
the tissue vaporizing accessory comprising;
a. a flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior with an interior surface, the tube being insertable through the endoscope instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the defined field of view of the observation port, the second end further defining an end face of the tube;
b. a flexible electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube and to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube, the conductor further including a first end for extending out of the endoscope viewing end and a second end located within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent tissue; and
c. a monopolar RF generator coupled to the first end of the electrical conductor for periodically transmitting a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap,whereby appropriate manipulation of the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue achieves controlled heating and vaporization of the tissue.
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Abstract
A flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior is insertable through an endoscopic instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the field of view of the endoscope observation port. The second end of the flexible tube defines a tube end face. A flexible electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube and to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube includes first and second ends. The first end of the conductor extends out of the endoscope viewing end while the second end is located within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent tissue. A monopolar RF generator is coupled to the first end of the electrical conductor for periodically transmitting a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap. Appropriate manipulation of the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue achieves controlled heating and vaporization of the tissue.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A tissue vaporizing accessory for an endoscope, the endoscope having a flexible, tubular body with a viewing end and a working end insertable into a fluid-filled medium and further including
i. a viewing channel having an observation port for transmitting an image of a defined field of view around the working end of the endoscope to a viewing port positioned at the viewing end of the endoscope; -
ii. an illumination port positioned at the working end of the endoscope for illuminating the defined field of view around the observation port; iii. a hollow instrument channel extending from the viewing end to the working end of the endoscope;
the tissue vaporizing accessory comprising;a. a flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior with an interior surface, the tube being insertable through the endoscope instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the defined field of view of the observation port, the second end further defining an end face of the tube; b. a flexible electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube and to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube, the conductor further including a first end for extending out of the endoscope viewing end and a second end located within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent tissue; and c. a monopolar RF generator coupled to the first end of the electrical conductor for periodically transmitting a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap, whereby appropriate manipulation of the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue achieves controlled heating and vaporization of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for vaporizing a tissue including the steps of:
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a. providing an endoscope including a flexible, tubular body having a viewing end and a working end, a viewing channel having an observation port for transmitting an image of a defined field of view around the working end of the endoscope to a viewing port positioned at the viewing end of the endoscope, an illumination port positioned at the working end of the endoscope for illuminating the defined field of view around the observation port, and a hollow instrument channel extending from the viewing end to the working end of the endoscope; b. inserting the working end of the endoscope into a fluid-filled medium including a tissue; c. inserting a flexible tube having first and second ends and a hollow interior with an interior surface through the endoscope instrument channel with the first end extending out of the viewing end of the endoscope and the second end extending out of the working end of the endoscope a sufficient distance to lie within the defined field of view of the observation port, the second end further defining an end face of the tube; d. selecting an electrical conductor having an outer surface sized to fit within the interior of the flexible tube to define a gap between the conductor outer surface and the interior surface of the tube, the conductor including first and second ends; e. displacing the electrical conductor through the hollow interior of the tube such that the first end extends out of the endoscope viewing end and the second end terminates within a recessed chamber extending between the tube end face and a spaced apart location within the interior of the tube to define a high impedance gap between the second end of the conductor and a nearby region including the tube end face and an adjacent area of the tissue; f. coupling a monopolar RF generator to the first end of the electrical conductor and periodically actuating the RF generator to transmit a defined RF output signal along the conductor to cause current to jump across the high impedance gap to thereby generate a high temperature zone in proximity to the gap while simultaneously manipulating the endoscope working end to position the tube end face in proximity to the tissue to achieve controlled heating and vaporization of the adjacent area of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification