Sterilizable endoscope with separable auxiliary assembly
First Claim
1. An apparatus for viewing a surgical operative site and conducting operative procedures in a sterile environment such as that of an operating room, said apparatus comprising:
- an endoscope including a distal capsule portion, and means for transmitting an image of the operative site disposed within said capsule;
an end cap having an inner and outer surface, proximal and distal ends, and a first mating surface formed along at least a portion of said end cap outer surface, said capsule being insertable within space defined by said inner surface of said end cap; and
a separable disposable channel section having at least one longitudinal opening for transmitting fluids or gas or for receiving an operative instrument, and further including a second mating surface formed on said separable channel section for releasable attachment of said second mating surface to said first mating surface of said end cap.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscope with separable auxiliary assembly is provided that includes a cylindrical shaped endoscope that is insertable within a sterile end cap with attached sterile drape, the drape being extendable over the length of the endoscope and its trailing cables thus isolating the endoscope and its trailing cables from the environment. A sterile separable channel section is provided that releasably attaches to the end cap. The separable channel section has a plurality of longitudinal channels running therethrough so that operative fluids, gases or operative instruments may be applied to the surgical site. To enable a surgeon to obtain selectable images of an operative site, a detachable viewing head may be attached to the distal end of the endoscope prior to placement of the endoscope inside the end cap.
1531 Citations
48 Claims
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1. An apparatus for viewing a surgical operative site and conducting operative procedures in a sterile environment such as that of an operating room, said apparatus comprising:
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an endoscope including a distal capsule portion, and means for transmitting an image of the operative site disposed within said capsule; an end cap having an inner and outer surface, proximal and distal ends, and a first mating surface formed along at least a portion of said end cap outer surface, said capsule being insertable within space defined by said inner surface of said end cap; and a separable disposable channel section having at least one longitudinal opening for transmitting fluids or gas or for receiving an operative instrument, and further including a second mating surface formed on said separable channel section for releasable attachment of said second mating surface to said first mating surface of said end cap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of providing endoscopic imagery of a sterile surgical operative site during an operative procedure wherein operative fluids, gases or instruments may be applied to the site from a remote location, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a sterile end cap including a first outer surface; inserting the distal end of an endoscope into the sterile end cap; attaching a separable channel section including a second outer surface to the first outer surface of the end cap for providing operative fluids, gases or instruments to the operative site; and viewing the surgical operative site via the endoscope. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for viewing a surgical operative site and conducting operative procedures in a sterile environment such as that of an operating room, said device comprising:
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an endoscope including a distal capsule portion, and means for transmitting an image of the operative site to a viewing device, said transmitting means being disposed within said capsule; an end cap having an inner and outer surface, proximal and distal ends, and a first mating surface formed along at least a portion of said end cap outer surface, said capsule being insertable within said end cap; and a separable disposable channel section having at least one longitudinal opening therethrough, and further including a second mating surface formed on said separable channel section for releasable attachment of said second mating surface to said first mating surface of said end cap, said separable section and said end cap when attached by said first and second mating surfaces form a predetermined cross section. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A separable auxiliary assembly for releasable attachment to an endoscope, the separable auxiliary assembly shielding the endoscope and its trailing cables from a sterile environment such as that of an operating room, said separable auxiliary assembly enabling fluid, gas, or surgical instruments to be applied to an operative site, said separable auxiliary assembly comprising:
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an end cap having an inner and outer surface, proximal and distal ends, and a first mating surface formed along at least a portion of said end cap outer surface; and a separable disposable channel section having at least one longitudinal opening for transmitting fluids, gas, or for receiving an operative instrument, and further including a second mating surface formed on said separable channel section for releasable attachment of said second mating surface to said first mating surface of said end cap, said separable section and said end cap when attached by said first and second mating surfaces form a predetermined cross section. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for viewing a surgical operative site and conducting operative procedures in a sterile environment such as that of an operating room, said apparatus comprising:
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an endoscope including a distal capsule portion; an end cap having an inner and outer surface, proximal and distal ends, and a first substantially planar mating surface formed along at least a portion of said end cap outer surface, said distal capsule portion being insertable within spaced defined by said inner surface of said end cap; and a separable channel section including an outer surface, at least one opening for transmitting fluids or gas or for receiving an operative instrument, and further including a second substantially planar mating surface formed on at least a portion of said outer surface of said separable channel section for releasable attachment of said second mating surface to said first mating surface of said end cap. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of providing endoscopic imagery of a surgical operative site during an operative procedure, wherein operative fluids, gases or instruments may be applied to the site from a remote location, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a sterile end cap including a first substantially planar mating surface; inserting a distal end of an endoscope into the sterile end cap; attaching a separable channel section including a second substantially planar mating surface to the first substantially planar mating surface of the end cap for providing operative fluids, gases or instruments to the operative site; and viewing the surgical operative site via the endoscope. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. A separable auxiliary assembly for releasable attachment to an endoscope, the separable auxiliary assembly shielding the endoscope from a sterile environment such as that of an operating room, said separable auxiliary assembly enabling fluid, gas, or surgical instruments to be applied to an operative site, said separable auxiliary assembly comprising:
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an end cap having a first substantially planar mating surface formed on at least a portion of said end cap; and a separable channel section having an outer surface, at least one opening for transmitting fluids or gas or for receiving an operative instrument, and further including a second substantially planar mating surface formed on at least a portion of said outer surface of said separable channel section for releasable attachment of said second mating surface to said first mating surface of said end cap.
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45. A separable auxiliary assembly for releasable attachment to an endoscope, the separable auxiliary assembly shielding the endoscope from a sterile environment such as that of an operating room, said separable auxiliary assembly enabling fluid, gas, or surgical instruments to be applied to an operative site, said separable auxiliary assembly comprising:
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an end cap having a concave mating surface formed on at least a portion of said end cap; and a separable channel section having at least one opening for transmitting fluids or gas or for receiving an operating instrument, and further including a convex mating surface formed on said separable channel section for releasable attachment of said convex mating surface to said concave mating surface of said end cap.
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46. An apparatus for viewing a surgical operative site and conducting operative procedures, said apparatus comprising:
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an endoscope including a distal capsule portion; an end cap having an inner and outer surface, proximal and distal ends and a concave mating surface formed along at least a portion of said end cap outer surface, said distal capsule portion being insertable within space defined by said inner surface of said end cap; and a separable channel section having at least one opening for transmitting fluids or gas or for receiving an operative instrument, and further including a convex mating surface formed on said separable channel section for releasable attachment of said convex mating surface to said concave mating surface of said end cap.
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47. A method of providing endoscopic imagery of a surgical operative site during an operative procedure wherein operative fluids, gases or instruments may be applied to the site from a remote location, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a sterile end cap including an external concave mating surface; inserting a distal end of an endoscope into the sterile end cap; attaching a separable channel section including an external convex mating surface to the external concave mating surface of the end cap for providing operative fluids, gases or instruments to the operative site; and viewing the surgical operative site via the endoscope. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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Specification