Medical probe device with transparent distal extremity
First Claim
1. A medical probe device for introduction by way of a natural body opening into an internal cavity of a body to a treatment site, comprising an elongate member having proximal and distal extremities and a longitudinal axis and a passageway extending from said proximal extremity to said distal extremity along the longitudinal axis, a stylet slidably mounted in said passageway of the elongate member, a guide piece of a rigid transparent material mounted on said distal extremity of said elongate member, said guide piece having an outer surface provided with an opening therein and a bore extending through the guide piece to the opening, said bore in the guide piece being in communication with said passageway in said elongate member, handle means mounted on the proximal extremity of said elongate member for advancing the distal extremity of said elongate member through the natural body opening so that the guide piece is in the cavity adjacent the treatment site, a guide tube disposed in the bore for directing the stylet sidewise of the longitudinal axis through the opening into the treatment site and an optical viewing device mounted within said passageway of said elongate member and having a distal extremity disposed within said guide piece for viewing the stylet through the transparent material of the guide piece as the stylet is advanced from the opening into the treatment site.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medical probe device for introduction by way of a natural body opening into a tubular internal anatomical part of the body includes an elongate member having proximal and distal extremities and a passageway extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity along a longitudinal axis, a transparent guide piece mounted on the distal extremity of the elongate member, the transparent guide piece having proximal and distal extremities and a bore therein defining a guide piece lumen extending from the proximal extremity of the guide piece distally at least part way to the distal extremity of the guide piece, the guide piece lumen being in communication with the passageway in the elongate member, an optical viewing element movable within the passageway of the elongate member and having a distal extremity movable within the guide piece lumen, a handle mounted on the proximal extremity of the elongate member, the distal extremity of the optical viewing element mounted within the guide piece lumen so that the distal extremity of the optical viewing element is movable in a longitudinal direction within the guide piece lumen between a distal position to permit viewing forward of the distal extremity of the guide piece within the body and a proximal position to permit viewing lateral to at least the distal extremity of the guide piece.
252 Citations
26 Claims
- 1. A medical probe device for introduction by way of a natural body opening into an internal cavity of a body to a treatment site, comprising an elongate member having proximal and distal extremities and a longitudinal axis and a passageway extending from said proximal extremity to said distal extremity along the longitudinal axis, a stylet slidably mounted in said passageway of the elongate member, a guide piece of a rigid transparent material mounted on said distal extremity of said elongate member, said guide piece having an outer surface provided with an opening therein and a bore extending through the guide piece to the opening, said bore in the guide piece being in communication with said passageway in said elongate member, handle means mounted on the proximal extremity of said elongate member for advancing the distal extremity of said elongate member through the natural body opening so that the guide piece is in the cavity adjacent the treatment site, a guide tube disposed in the bore for directing the stylet sidewise of the longitudinal axis through the opening into the treatment site and an optical viewing device mounted within said passageway of said elongate member and having a distal extremity disposed within said guide piece for viewing the stylet through the transparent material of the guide piece as the stylet is advanced from the opening into the treatment site.
- 21. A medical probe device for treatment of a prostate of a human male having a bladder with a base with a urethra formed by a urethral wall extending into the base of the bladder with the tissue of the prostate surrounding the urethra near the base of the bladder comprising an elongate probe member having proximal and distal extremities and a longitudinal axis and a passageway extending from said proximal extremity to said distal extremity along the longitudinal axis, the elongate probe member having a length so that when the distal extremity is disposed in the urethra in the vicinity of the prostate the proximal extremity is outside the urethra, handle means coupled to said proximal extremity of said elongate probe member for introducing said distal extremity of said elongate probe member into the urethra, a stylet slidably mounted in the passageway of the elongate probe member, the stylet including a conductive radio frequency electrode and a layer of insulating material disposed around the conductive radio frequency electrode but exposing a distal portion of the conductive radio frequency electrode, a guide piece of a rigid transparent material mounted on said distal extremity of said elongate probe member, said guide piece having a proximal extremity and a rounded distal end and an internal curved surface for directing the stylet sidewise of the longitudinal axis into the tissue of the prostate, said guide piece provided with a bore extending from said proximal extremity of said guide piece through said rounded distal end of said guide piece, an optical viewing device mounted within said passageway of said elongate probe member and having a distal extremity movable longitudinally within the bore of said guide piece from a proximal position for viewing the stylet extending from said guide piece sidewise of the longitudinal axis and a distal position for viewing forwardly of said guide piece to facilitate placement of said guide piece in the urethra.
- 24. A medical probe device for introduction by way of a natural body opening into an internal cavity of a body, comprising an elongate probe member having proximal and distal extremities and a longitudinal axis and a passageway extending from said proximal extremity to said distal extremity along the longitudinal axis, handle means coupled to the proximal extremity of said elongate probe member, an optical viewing device mounted in the passageway of said elongate probe member and having a distal extremity with a field of view and a guide piece of a rigid transparent material mounted on said distal extremity of said elongate probe member, said guide piece having a distal surface inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis and disposed within the field of view of said optical viewing device, said distal surface being at least partially reflective when disposed within the internal cavity for permitting the optical viewing device to view sidewise of the longitudinal axis and being at least partially transmissive when disposed within the internal cavity for permitting the optical viewing device to view forwardly of said guide piece.
Specification