Endoscope with protruding member and method of utilizing the same
First Claim
1. A method of viewing an interior passage of a patient comprising:
- advancing an elongated body and a displacing member into the passage in the patient with the elongated body having a distal end and with the displacing member extending beyond the distal end of the elongated body when the elongated body is at a region of the passage;
relatively displacing the distal end of the elongated body and material within or forming the passage within a zone of the interior passage utilizing the displacing member; and
viewing the interior passage through the elongated body and within said zone while the distal end of the elongated body and said material are relatively displaced.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An endoscope including an elongated endoscope body sized and adapted for insertion into a passage, such as a passage of the body of a patient. Optical components are carried by the endoscope body to enable viewing of the passage distally of the distal end of the endoscope body within a field of view of the endoscope. An elongated, resilient member is mounted on and carried by the endoscope body such that the endoscope body and the resilient member are a unitary assembly which can be inserted as a unit into the passage. The resilient member extends beyond the distal end of the endoscope body and is capable of contacting material within or forming the passage and relatively displacing the distal end of the endoscope body and such material within the field of view of the endoscope to enhance viewing of the passage with the endoscope.
116 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of viewing an interior passage of a patient comprising:
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advancing an elongated body and a displacing member into the passage in the patient with the elongated body having a distal end and with the displacing member extending beyond the distal end of the elongated body when the elongated body is at a region of the passage; relatively displacing the distal end of the elongated body and material within or forming the passage within a zone of the interior passage utilizing the displacing member; and viewing the interior passage through the elongated body and within said zone while the distal end of the elongated body and said material are relatively displaced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of viewing an interior passage of a patient comprising:
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advancing an elongated body and a displacing member into the passage in the patient with the elongated body having a distal end and with the displacing member extending beyond the distal end of the elongated body when the elongated body is at a region of the passage; relatively displacing the distal end of the elongated body and material within or forming the passage within a zone of the interior passage utilizing the displacing member; and transmitting a view of the interior passage within said zone along the elongated body to a location outside the patient while the distal end of the elongated body and said material are relatively displaced.
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16. A method of viewing an interior passage of a patient comprising:
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advancing an elongated body and an elongated resilient member into the passage in the patient with the elongated body having a distal end and with the elongated resilient member extending beyond the distal end of the elongated body when the elongated body is at a region of the passage; introducing optical components into the passage of the patient using the elongated body with said optical components having a field of view; relatively displacing the distal end of the elongated body and material within or forming the passage within the field of view of the optical components utilizing the resilient member; and viewing the interior passage utilizing the optical components while the distal end of the elongated body and said material are relatively displaced. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification