Endoscopic instrument for controlled introduction of tubular members in the body and methods therefor
First Claim
1. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
- a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body;
a blade releasably assembled to said tubular member for guiding introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body, said blade including a distal end for being positioned in the body and a configuration to retract tissue to permit movement of said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade, anda remote viewing device disposed in said tubular member including means for visualizing introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscopic instrument for controlled introduction of tubular members in the body includes a blade assembly having a blade for being introduced in the body to retract or manipulate anatomical tissue for introduction of a tubular member at a site in the body, a tubular member assembly having a tubular member with a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body and a remote viewing assembly having a distal end for being positioned in the body to permit introduction of the tubular member at the site in the body to be confirmed visually at a location remote from the site in the body. The distal end of the tubular member and the distal end of the remote viewing device are movable along the blade to introduce the tubular member distal end at the site in the body. A method of introducing a tubular member at a site in the body includes the steps of inserting a blade of an instrument in the body, retracting anatomical tissue with the blade, moving a distal end of a tubular member of the instrument distally along the blade to introduce the distal end of the tubular member at the site in the body and visualizing introduction of the tubular member at the site in the body with a remote viewing device from a location remote from the site in the body.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade releasably assembled to said tubular member for guiding introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body, said blade including a distal end for being positioned in the body and a configuration to retract tissue to permit movement of said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade, and a remote viewing device disposed in said tubular member including means for visualizing introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for guiding introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body, said blade including a distal end for being positioned in the body, a longitudinal passage and a configuration to retract tissue to permit movement of said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being received in said passage of said blade and being movable along said blade, said blade including one or more longitudinally extending prongs and said passage being defined along said prongs; and a remote viewing device disposed in said tubular member including means for visualizing introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body.
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7. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade disposed in said tubular member for guiding introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body, said blade including a distal end for being positioned in the body and a configuration to retract tissue to permit movement of said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade; and a remote viewing device disposed in said tubular member including means for visualizing introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for guiding introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body, said blade including a distal end for being positioned in the body and a configuration to retract tissue to permit movement of said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade; a remote viewing device disposed in said tubular member including means for visualizing introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body; and a guide for guiding movement of said tubular member along said blade, said guide including a guide channel on said blade and a guide protrusion on said tubular member for being engaged with said guide channel.
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10. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for guiding introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body, said blade including a distal end for being positioned in the body and a configuration to retract tissue to permit movement of said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade; a remote viewing device disposed in said tubular member including means for visualizing introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body; and a guide for guiding movement of said tubular member along said blade, said guide including a guide channel on said tubular member and a guide protrusion on said blade for being engaged with said guide channel.
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11. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for guiding introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body, said blade including a proximal end, a distal end for being positioned in the body, a length between said proximal and distal ends of said blade and a configuration to retract tissue to permit movement of said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade, said blade being bendable along the entire length of said blade to adjust said configuration; and a remote viewing device disposed in said tubular member including means for visualizing introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body.
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12. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for manipulating tissue to permit introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body and having a proximal end, a distal end for being positioned in the body, a longitudinal axis and a configuration to guide said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade; a remote viewing device having a probe terminating distally at a distal end for being positioned in the body and proximally at a control section, said remote viewing device being movable relative to said blade to position said distal end of said remote viewing device to visualize introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body; and a track channel at said proximal end of said blade for receiving said control section in longitudinal alignment with said axis to guide movement of said remote viewing device along said blade. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for manipulating tissue to permit introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body and having a distal end for being positioned in the body and a configuration to guide said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade; a remote viewing device having a distal end for being positioned in the body, said remote viewing device being movable relative to said blade to position said distal end of said remote viewing device to visualize introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body, said tubular member being movable with said remote viewing device relative to said blade and being selectively movable along said blade relative to said blade and said remote viewing device; a track for guiding movement of said remote viewing device along said blade, said track including a track channel on said blade configured to mate with said remote viewing device, said remote viewing device being selectively movable along said track channel relative to said blade and said tubular member; and a guide for guiding movement of said tubular member relative to said blade, said guide including a guide channel on said blade and a guide protrusion on said tubular member for engagement with said guide channel. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for manipulating tissue to permit introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body and having a distal end for being positioned in the body and a configuration to guide said tubular member toward the site in the body, said tubular member being movable along said blade; a remote viewing device having a distal end for being positioned in the body, said remote viewing device being movable relative to said blade to position said distal end of said remote viewing device to visualize introduction of said tubular member distal end at the site in the body from a location remote from the site in the body, said tubular member being movable with said remote viewing device relative to said blade and being selectively movable along said blade relative to said blade and said remote viewing device; a track for guiding movement of said remote viewing device along said blade, said track including a track channel on said blade configured to mate with said remote viewing device, said remote viewing device being selectively movable along said track channel relative to said blade and said tubular member; and a guide for guiding movement of said tubular member relative to said blade, said guide including a guide channel on said tubular member and a guide protrusion on said blade for engagement with said guide channel.
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23. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for manipulating anatomical tissue to facilitate introduction of said tubular member and having a distal end for being introduced in the body; and a remote viewing device including a probe having a distal end for being introduced in the body to permit visualization of introduction of said tubular member from a location remote from the site in the body, said tubular member, said blade and said probe being assembled together with said distal ends of said tubular member, said blade and said probe in alignment with one another to form an instrument assembly having a distal end with a smooth peripheral configuration to prevent injury to anatomical tissue when said distal end of said instrument assembly is introduced in the body. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An instrument for introducing a tubular member at a site in the body comprising:
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a tubular member having a distal end for being introduced at the site in the body; a blade for manipulating anatomical tissue to facilitate introduction of said tubular member and having a distal end for being introduced in the body; and a remote viewing device including a probe having a distal end for being introduced in the body to permit visualization of introduction of said tubular member from a location remote from the site in the body, said blade, said tubular member and said probe being assembled together concentrically to form an instrument assembly having a smooth peripheral configuration to prevent injury to anatomical tissue when said instrument assembly is introduced in the body.
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Specification