Disposable medical instrument

• US 5,779,686 A
• Filed: 09/03/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yanuma, Yutaka, Sekine, Ryuta, Ohzeki, Kazuhiko, Sato, Yukio, Miyano, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Rimell, Sam
• Application Number:
  US08/718,016
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 604/110, 604/111, 604/265, 128/749, 128/753, 128/754, 128/756, 128/751
• US Class Current: 604/265
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/06 Biopsy forceps , e.g. with cup-shaped jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0216 Sampling brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/292 connection of actuating rod to handle, e.g. ball end in recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use

Abstract

A disposable medical instrument wherein at least part of the portion which does not directly contact the mucosa in body cavities is composed of a material containing hydrophilic polymer such as water soluble polymer or water absorptive polymer.

Claims

1. A disposable medical instrument comprising:

a treatment section comprising non-degradable material at a front end of the instrument capable of performing a treatment of body cavities;

a flexible sheath comprising non-degradable material extending from said treatment section at the front end to an operator side of the instrument; and

an operating section provided at the operator side of said sheath, said operating section not directly contacting mucosa of body cavities, at least a part of the operating section being composed of a degradable material containing hydrophilic polymer,

wherein said part of said operating section is arranged at a position which would contact with water when washed to thereby degrade said part of the operating section.

2. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic polymer is a water soluble polymer, so that said part of the operating section is dissolved when washed in water.

3. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic polymer is a water absorptive polymer, so that said part of the operating section absorbs water so as to expand or soften when washed in water.

4. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 2, wherein said part of the operating section is composed of a polymeric material containing 50% or more water soluble polymer at weight ratio.

5. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein said part of the operating section is composed of a polymeric material containing 20% or more water absorptive polymer at weight ratio.

6. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said part of the operating section is at least one of a movable member, a gripping member, a fixing member for fixing a component and a fixed member which is fixed by engagement with a fixing member and is composed of a material containing hydrophilic polymer.

7. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said part of the operating section is the one comprising a marking member composed of a material containing hydrophilic polymer making it possible to judge whether said medical instrument has been washed.

8. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein said part of the operating section is provided with a movement limiting member composed of a material containing water absorptive polymer, said movement limiting member being provided near a movable member in said medical instrument to limit movement of said movable member.

9. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 1, comprising a high frequency excision tool which has a treatment electrode at the front end in order to excise an affected part by supplying high frequency current to said treatment electrode.

10. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 1, comprising a cytologic brush which has a brush section at the front end of said medical instrument to collect body cells by moving said brush.

11. A disposable medical instruction according to claim 1, comprising a device for injecting fluid into the body, said

device having an injecting tube and a syringe to supply said fluid by means of said injecting tube.

12. A disposable medical instrument according to claim 1, comprising an imaging tube device which has a flexible sheath to feed chemical fluid through said flexible sheath.