Bending sheath for probe

• US 6,099,464 A
• Filed: 04/08/1996
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Abe, Masashi, Shimizu, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker, John P.
• Application Number:
  US08/629,047
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 600/104, 600/106, 600/107, 600/108, 600/121, 600/123, 600/125, 600/114, 604/95
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00075 with externally roughened shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0008 characterised by distal tip features
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00089 Hoods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0056 the insertion parts being asymmetric, e.g. for unilateral bending mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction

Abstract

A bending sheath for a probe being inserted in a channel of a forceps of an endoscope inserted in a body cavity of a patient for observing the diseased part thereof is disclosed. The bending sheath comprises a hollow sheath, at least one extended portion extending in the sheath axis direction from the sheath tip portion, and a tip holding member for holding detachably the inserted tip portion of the probe inserted in the sheath.

Claims

1. A bending sheath comprising:

a hollow sheath comprising a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion integrally formed with and extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion; and

a tip holding member having a first end which is attached to the at least one extended portion and a second end which is closed to form a shape of a cap; and

the at least one extended portion comprises a bendable section which bends to cause an end portion of said extended portion to be at an angle relative to the sheath axis direction.

2. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow sheath is a tube comprising by a soft resin.

3. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 2, wherein the soft resin comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

4. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 2, wherein the soft resin comprises a high-density polyethylene or a low-density polyethylene or a mixed polyethylene thereof.

5. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 2, wherein the soft resin comprises a polyimide resin or a polyolefin resin.

6. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bendable section is located near the tip holding member and said angle is approximately 90 degrees.

7. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second end which is closed to form a shape of a cap has a substantially hemispherical shape.

8. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cap comprises stainless steel.

9. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow sheath comprises by a rotatable coil shaft.

10. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow sheath comprises a rotatable torque transmission tube of resin.

11. A bending sheath comprising:

a hollow sheath comprising a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion; and

a tip holding member having a first end which is attached to the at least one extended portion and a second end which is closed to form a shape of a cap;

wherein

the at least one extended portion is formed so as to bend near the tip holding member, and the at least one extended portion comprises;

a wide portion adjacent to the hollow sheath; and

a narrow portion adjacent to the tip holding member.

12. A bending sheath comprising:

a hollow sheath comprising a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion; and

a tip holding member having a first end which is attached to the at least one extended portion and a second end which is closed to form a shape of a cap;

wherein

the at least one extended portion is formed so as to bend near the tip holding member; and

the at least one extended portion comprises;

a portion of low flexibility adjacent to the hollow sheath; and

a portion of high flexibility adjacent to the tip holding member.

13. A bending sheath comprising:

a hollow sheath comprising a rotatable coil shaft and sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion; and

a tip holding member attached to the at least one extended portion;

wherein the rotatable coil shaft comprises multiple coil shaft layers, each of the multiple coil shaft layers comprising a helical coil comprising multiple wires.

14. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 13, wherein the coil shaft comprises three coil shaft layers, each of the three coil shaft layers comprising a helical coil comprising five wires.

15. A bending sheath comprising:

a hollow sheath comprising a rotatable torque transmission tube and a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion; and

a tip holding member attached to the at least one extended portion;

wherein the rotatable torque transmission tube comprises resin and an embedded metal, silk, and cotton mesh or net member.

16. A bending sheath comprising:

a hollow sheath comprising a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion; and

a tip holding member attached to the at least one extended portion;

wherein the tip holding member comprises a reflecting portion.

17. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 16, wherein the reflecting portion is formed by making a surface roughness large.

18. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 16, wherein the reflecting portion is a prism.

19. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 16, wherein the reflecting portion is a mirror.

20. A bending sheath comprising:

a hollow sheath comprising a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion;

a tip holding member; and

a link mechanism for rotatably connecting the tip holding member to the at least one extended portion.

21. A probe assembly comprising:

a probe comprising a tip portion and an apparatus for irradiating energy having directivity; and

a bending sheath into which the probe is inserted, the bending sheath comprising;

a hollow sheath comprising a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion; and

a tip holding member for detachably holding the tip portion, the tip holding member having a first end which is attached to the at least one extended portion and a second end which is closed to form a shape of a cap.

22. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 21, wherein the apparatus for irradiating energy inserted in the bending sheath is a ultrasonic probe or a laser probe.

23. A probe assembly comprising:

a probe comprising a tip portion and a treating unit of a punch biopsy; and

a bending sheath into which the probe is inserted, the bending sheath comprising;

a hollow sheath comprising a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion; and

a tip holding member for detachably holding the tip portion, the tip holding member having a first end which is attached to the at least one extended portion and a second end which is closed to form a shape of a cap.

24. A bending sheath comprising:

a hollow sheath comprising a sheath tip portion;

at least one extended portion integrally formed with and extending in a sheath axis direction of the hollow sheath from the sheath tip portion;

a tip holding member attached to the at least one extended portion;

a balloon provided between the hollow sheath and the tip holding member; and

the at least one extended portion comprises a bendable section which bends to cause an end portion of said extended portion to be at an angle relative to the sheath axis direction.

25. A bending sheath as claimed in claim 24, wherein the balloon encloses the at least one extended portion.